Gurugram Woman Cheated of Over Rs 11 Lakh by Man She Befriended on Social Media

Gurugram: A woman was allegedly defrauded of Rs 11.40 lakh by a man claiming to be a UK national during their interactions on social media, officials said on Friday.

The accused defrauded the victim by offering to send expensive gifts from abroad, they added.

The complainant said she used to talk to the man on WhatsApp and Instagram. The accused identified himself as Mishel Thomas, a UK national.

The man recently told her that he had sent gifts worth £40,000, including a watch, an iPhone 11, and a necklace, to her address. Despite her refusal, he insisted the items had already been sent and would arrive soon.

The woman then got a call in which the caller identified himself as a customs department official and asked for a clearance fee for the package to get delivered, the complaint added.

"When I refused, I was told that it could not be returned. I deposited Rs 11.40 lakh in different transactions but when they again demanded more, I found myself duped and moved to the police," the woman said in her complaint.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Gurugram cybercrime east police station on Wednesday, a senior police officer said.

Efforts are on to identify the accused and nab them, the officer added.