Bengaluru: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a man posing as a Belgian-based doctor allegedly duped a 34-year-old divorcee from Bengaluru of over Rs 1.3 lakh, exploiting her trust and emotions through a Valentine’s Day gift scam. According to the news reports, the woman, a resident of Veeranapalya, had registered on a matrimonial portal for divorcees when she was contacted by a man claiming to be a doctor settled in Belgium. The accused quickly struck up a friendly relationship and began communicating with her regularly on WhatsApp, building trust through affectionate messages and promises of marriage.Also Read:Man posing as UK Doctor on matrimonial app cheats woman of Rs 16 lakhAs Valentine’s Day approached, the man told her that he had sent her expensive gifts and euros as a token of his love. Shortly afterwards, she received a call from a person posing as a customs official, claiming that a parcel addressed to her had arrived in India but was being withheld due to pending clearance charges.The fraudsters then began demanding money under various pretexts, including customs duty, tax clearance, and courier handling fees. Trusting man’s assurances that the parcel was genuine, the woman reportedly transferred over Rs 1.3 lakh through multiple transactions.
Her suspicions were raised only when the callers continued to demand additional payments even after she had complied several times. When she questioned the man, he insisted that she pay more to secure the release of the parcel. Realising she had been cheated, she approached the police and lodged a complaint.Also Read:Matrimony App Fraud: Fake NRI doctor dupes techie of Rs 6.43 lakhSpeaking to TOI, a senior police officer said such frauds are usually reported in the run-up to Valentine’s Day or in the week following it. Similar cases have been reported in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kochi, where victims were lured via matrimonial or dating platforms by profiles claiming to be NRI professionals. Fraudsters use the promise of love, marriage, and expensive gifts as bait.
