Panvel Woman Falls Victim to Cyber Scam Loses Rs. 30 Lakh

A 42-year-old woman from Panvel fell victim to a cyber fraud scheme involving customs charges, resulting in a loss of Rs 30.96 lakhs. The victim, a businesswoman, befriended a person named Dr. Failishia Prince on Facebook, who claimed to be a British citizen. Over time, their friendship evolved into a romantic relationship. Dr. Prince, the cyber fraudster, manipulated the victim emotionally by fabricating a story about his deceased wife and his parents residing in Germany. Building on this emotional connection, the fraudster convinced the victim to provide her address under the pretext of sending gifts worth Rs 69 lakhs, including an Apple iPhone, laptop, jewelry, and other items. The victim shared her address in Panvel, trusting Dr. Prince's intentions.

Shortly after, the victim received a call from someone claiming to be Neha from the Delhi Customs Office, informing her about the courier and demanding payment for customs charges. Despite initial reluctance, Dr. Prince persuaded the victim to pay the charges, assuring her that the items were purchased with his hard-earned money. The victim complied and made an initial payment of Rs 25,000 on March 27, 2024. Subsequently, she was coerced into paying additional charges, including foreign money registration fees and various other expenses. Despite her continuous payments, the victim never received the promised courier.

Finally, she urged Dr. Prince to retrieve the items himself. On April 9, Dr. Prince claimed to have arrived at the Delhi Customs Office but was allegedly apprehended by customs officials, who seized all the items. To release the confiscated goods, Dr. Prince demanded further payment for Asian Union Clearing Charges, compelling the victim to transfer a total of Rs 30,96,865.Upon confiding in a trusted individual, the victim realized she had been deceived and promptly filed a complaint with the cyber police station. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act to address this fraudulent activity.