Air Hostess Duped of Rs 10 Lakh in Fraud Case

Thane: A 24-year-old air hostess from Thane district of Maharashtra fell prey to cyber fraud wherein she was forced to transfer around Rs 10 lakh to avoid "arrest" for "laundering money", an official said on Saturday.

The air hostess, who lives in Kalyan, received calls from unidentified phone numbers on November 23, 2024, who told her that a parcel sent by her had not reached its destination in Iran.

When the victim informed the caller that she had not dispatched any parcel, the caller told her on a video call that her name had figured in a money laundering case and threatened arrest, a police official said.

The caller then sent certain links on her mobile number and forced her to transfer Rs 9.93 lakh before hanging up.

The woman realised that she had been cheated and approached the police.

The police official said the phone number location showed "overseas". An FIR has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

No arrest has been made so far.