A case highlighting the dangers of attractive social media advertisements has come to light, where a nurse working at a private hospital was allegedly cheated of ₹1,00,941. The incident has been registered at the Deonar Police Station.
According to the complaint, the victim, who works as a nurse and resides in a hostel, came across a Facebook Reels advertisement on April 16 offering dresses at just ₹299. Attracted by the low price, she contacted the seller via WhatsApp to place an order.
Police said the accused initially demanded payment for the dress and later continued to extract money under various pretexts such as shipping charges, GPS charges, tracking fees, verification codes, and address confirmation. Each time, the victim was assured that the amount would be refunded and the order would be delivered.
Between April 16 and April 20, the accused allegedly duped the victim of a total ₹1,00,941.
After realizing the fraud, the victim contacted the cyber helpline 1930 and lodged a complaint. Based on her complaint, Deonar Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and cheating.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the fraud was orchestrated using a Facebook advertisement, a WhatsApp number, and a fake delivery agent. Police have urged citizens to remain cautious and not fall prey to attractive offers and advertisements on social media platforms.