A young woman from Pune fell prey to an online scam that promised, “Invest ₹5 lakh and earn ₹25 lakh.” The conman vanished with her money, and for nearly a year, there was no trace of him. However, a twist came when the woman went on a trip to Gujarat and recognized the conman's distinct speech and style. What followed was a thrilling chase that ended in Sion, Mumbai, where the fraudster was caught red-handed. The Sion Police are currently investigating the case. A 38-year-old YouTuber from Pune, who runs a travel business, came across a Facebook ad in January 2024 offering returns of Rs 25 lakh on a Rs 5 lakh investment. She contacted the number provided in the ad and was told to come to Mumbai to hand over the money in person. In March 2024, she met a man in the Dadar area of Mumbai and handed him Rs 5 lakh. He told her he would return shortly with Rs 25 lakh - but never came back. Soon after, his mobile number was switched off, and the woman had to return to Pune empty-handed.
In March 2025, while on a trip to Kutch, Gujarat, the woman recognized a travel driver’s manner of speaking - it reminded her of the scammer. The man introduced himself as Lakha Patel. When she shared her experience, he gave her the number of a man named Kartik, claiming he was part of a similar network in Kutch.
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Upon contacting Kartik, she was told that the man who scammed her was indeed part of their group. Kartik claimed she could get her money back, but only if she paid an additional Rs 2 lakh. In June, she agreed to proceed but informed a friend who is a member of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), asking him to stay alert. As things progressed, she was put in touch with individuals named Siddharth and later Sikandar, who asked her to come to Mumbai again. On June 30, she reached Mumbai, and Sikandar attempted to collect the money from her. This time, the woman was cautious. She noticed the cash he was offering in exchange seemed suspicious and likely fake, so she halted the transaction.
At that moment, her MNS friend stepped in and helped detain Sikandar, handing him over to the police. The Rs 5 lakh bundle given to her was confirmed to be fake currency. A case has been registered at the Sion police station, and further investigation is underway.