Mumbai nurse lost Rs 17 lakh in a cyber fraud by Facebook friend

Beware! Of making new friends on social media websites. A nurse from Mumbai was duped to the tune of Rs 17.5 lakh to cyber fraudsters who befriended her on Facebook. She fell in a trap after she got a friend request from a man who said he was a doctor from London. The gang siphoned off money from the victim on the pretext of paying fee and fine for getting expensive gifts and jewellery released from customs, which he had sent from London. But detailed investigation indicates it was scam done by local cyber criminals.
It was in the month of March when the complainant received a friend request on Facebook from Alex Wilfred, whose profile portrayed him as a doctor from London. As both of them were in the medical field she accepted the request started chatting with him. Since August 15, the two started chatting frequently.
On August 17, Wilfred called her and informed her that he had sent her a surprise gift. Soon after a woman called her up who said that she was a cargo official Anjali Sharma posted at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi.
As per the complainant, the caller sounded extremely professional and informed her that it contains Rs 35 lakh cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 14 lakh. To get the parcel she will have to pay Rs 30,000 courier charges. Victim trusted her and paid the money through online banking.
Then the gang members started demanding more money. Next day the caller said that she will have to pay Rs 1.10 lakh penalty as the parcel contains an excess amount of cash. Thereafter, Sharma called her on multiple occasions and made her pay money for getting the Anti-Money laundering certificate, GST certificate and Income tax on the parcel states the complaint.
After exhausting all her saving and borrowing money from family and friends the complainant yelled at Wilfred and told to return whatever money she has spent. Wilfred told her not to worry as he would be coming to India with money on August 31 and will return all her money. He also sent her photos of his air tickets and photos of himself sitting in the flight.
On August 31, the complainant received a WhatsApp call from Wilfred informing her that he has been arrested at the Delhi international airport as he was carrying a huge quantity of cash. He requested her to help him get released by paying a penalty charge of Rs 5.40 lakh.
The complainant sensed foul play and made a video call to him. But he didn’t receive the video calls. The complainant realised that she was duped by fraudsters after Wilfred cut all his contacts with her. But by then the complainant had already lost Rs 17.5 lakh, said the police officer.
According to cybercrime experts, such gangs are on the prowl who first become friends on social media and then siphon off money from their bank account.