In a shocking case of online fraud, a man lost Rs 1.1 crore after falling prey to a scam involving a dating app connection. This incident serves as an important reminder of the need for caution while interacting with strangers online, especially when it involves financial matters. Keep reading to how the scam unfolded and how the victim was deceived into losing a massive sum.
The complainant said he accepted a friend request from a woman named Leena Jose on the Happn dating app on June 28. Leena suggested that they continue chatting on Telegram. Over the course of their chats, she convinced him to invest in Admiral Market Forex trading, reports TOI.
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Following Leena’s advice, the man downloaded an app called Wavegptexa and set up an account. Initially, on July 3, he transferred Rs 50,000 via NEFT. He was then informed that investing larger amounts would lead to greater profits. Between July 3 and July 23, he transferred a total of Rs 10 lakh to various bank accounts provided by the accused.
The app continued to show significant profits, indicating that his account had grown to Rs 80 lakh. However, when he attempted to withdraw the money, he was informed by customer support that he needed to pay a 30% tax on the amount first. Trusting their word, he transferred Rs 19.3 lakh to different accounts as instructed.
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Later, the scammers claimed an additional 10% bank transaction fee was required to convert the funds from dollars to Indian rupees, prompting another transfer of Rs 7.4 lakh. When the complainant tried to withdraw Rs 50 lakh, he was told that a risk control department had blocked the transaction and that he would need to deposit 50% of the amount to release the funds. Believing this, he transferred Rs 26.8 lakh.
Even after fulfilling all these demands, the scammers set new conditions, stating that he needed to become a VIP client by raising his credit score. They convinced him to keep transferring money until September 23. When pressured to invest even more, the man grew suspicious. After consulting friends, he realised he had been scammed and approached the police.