A 59-year-old professor from Bengaluru’s Seshadripuram fell prey to an elaborate social media scam, losing ₹5.2 lakh to fraudsters who falsely promised to conduct a special puja in his and his family's name at the Sri Balaji Temple in Tirupati, reported The Times of India.
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According to the report, the scam began in September when the professor came across an advertisement on Facebook promoting special pujas at the Tirumala temple. Intrigued, he called the number provided in the ad, 9063516199, where a man claiming to be the temple’s chief priest answered in Telugu. The scammer then spoke convincingly about the "Melchat Vastram Seva," describing it as one of the most sacred and highly sought-after rituals at the temple. He claimed the seva involved offering a gold jari sari for Goddess Ammavaru and a dhoti for Lord Srivaru, with the sari being specially crafted in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
The fraudster added that devotees could participate in the seva through a lucky dip and assured the professor he would secure a slot for him. Believing the claims, the professor initially transferred ₹50,000 online to initiate the process. The scammer later claimed he had finalized arrangements with the temple superintendent and convinced the professor to transfer additional funds, ultimately fleecing ₹2.3 lakh. The professor was given a date for the puja in October but was informed at the last minute that the slot had been canceled due to unforeseen reasons.
{{/usCountry}}The fraudster added that devotees could participate in the seva through a lucky dip and assured the professor he would secure a slot for him. Believing the claims, the professor initially transferred ₹50,000 online to initiate the process. The scammer later claimed he had finalized arrangements with the temple superintendent and convinced the professor to transfer additional funds, ultimately fleecing ₹2.3 lakh. The professor was given a date for the puja in October but was informed at the last minute that the slot had been canceled due to unforeseen reasons.
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The fraudsters then introduced another accomplice, who posed as the temple superintendent. Together, they tricked the professor into transferring an additional ₹2.9 lakh on multiple occasions, promising to secure a new slot for December 24.
Speaking to the publication, the professor’s wife said, “The fraudster told my husband that the seva costs around ₹2 lakh or more. He assured us he could get us selected in the lucky dip. My husband trusted him and transferred the money. Even after the October slot was canceled, he kept paying, hoping for a new date in December.”
Realizing they had been duped, the couple approached the Central CEN Crime police, who have registered a case under the IT Act and Section 318 (cheating). Investigations are underway to trace the fraudsters.
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