Elderly man cheated of Rs 47.07 lakhs by American woman FB friend

NP NEWS NETWORK

Pune

A 59-year-old man was allegedly duped of Rs 47.07 lakhs by his Facebook woman friend from a foreign country, with whom he wanted to engage in real estate business.

The woman pretended that she has been caught at Delhi airport by customs department, while she was coming to meet him with huge quantity of gold as gift for him. He transferred the money in various accounts of customs department ‘officer’ to get her released.

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As per FIR registered with Swargate police station under Pune city police, the man from Shankarsheth road area, had met the woman, Aleshia Smith, on social networking website Facebook in July this year. The woman told him that she wanted to invest in real estate business in India and wanted to come here. On August 6, he got a call from one Sonia Singhania who claimed to be an officer with the customs department at Delhi airport. She told him that Smith has come here without ‘yellow card’ and she is carrying huge quantity of gold, hence she has been detained and asked to transfer money to release her.

The ‘officer’ further said that Smith has got bank draft from Bank of Scotland and he will get refund after the draft is encashed. Later on he was given several bank account numbers of different people and between August 21 and September 29, he transferred the amount. Later he realized the fraud and lodged complaint with Pune city police.

Police registered the case for offences under sections 419 (impersonation), 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 66 (C), 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act.