Bengaluru, March 20: A 51-year-old woman from Bengaluru’s Ulsoor, identified as Nirmala (name changed), recently fell victim to a matrimonial scam, losing Rs 41 lakh to a “friend from UK” she met on a matrimonial site. The man, who introduced himself as a UK-based doctor, proposed the woman and had promised to marry her and even claimed to have travelled to India for the same.

According to a report in TOI, the duo had been in constant contact for almost two months, during which the man borrowed money from Nirmala, citing various emergencies. He assured her that he would repay her once they met in India. Matrimonial Scam: Fraudster Poses as Customs Officer, Dupes Over 250 Women on Matrimonial Sites in Bengaluru, Arrested.

In early February, the man sent Nirmala photographs of expensive gifts he claimed to have bought for her, along with his flight ticket to India. However, Nirmala received a call from an individual claiming to be a Customs officer, who informed her that her friend had been detained for bringing costly gifts and cash into the country. Bengaluru Shocker: Conman Makes Fake Profiles of Doctor and Engineer on Matrimonial Sites, Marries 15 Women; Arrested.

The man, posing as Nirmala’s friend, then sought her help to get released, citing various charges including GST. As a result, Nirmala ended up transferring a total of Rs 41 lakh to nine different bank accounts.

After the money was transferred, the man and his accomplices went incommunicado. Nirmala filed a complaint on March 12, after recovering from the initial shock. The police are currently investigating the case.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2024 08:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).