Facebook to WhatsApp, Rs 16 lakh fraud

A government employee lost over Rs 16.69 lakh in a Facebook friendship scam, paying fake customs charges for a non-existent parcel. The fraud began in September 2019 but was reported five years later, raising questions over the delay. Police have launched an investigation. A case has been registered at Pundliknagar Police Station.

The victim has been identified as Milind Ashru Mhaske (54, Shivajingar, Garkheda area) . Milind accepted a friend request from a woman named ‘Kalera Among’ on Facebook. Their chats soon moved to WhatsApp, where she promised to send valuable gifts. Days later, he received calls from unknown numbers claiming to be customs officials, who demanded payments to release the parcel. The scammers pressured him into transferring over Rs 3.8 lakh to one account and over Rs 12.8 lakh to another, sending fake ID cards and emails to gain his trust. When the promised parcel never arrived, he realized he had been cheated. Although he discovered the fraud in early January 17 2020, he lodged a police complaint only on February 16, 2025. The five-year delay has sparked questions, with investigators now probing the reasons behind it. Authorities have launched an inquiry and urged people to remain cautious of online fraud.