Bengaluru techie duped of ₹1.5 crore by man she met on matrimonial site

A Bengaluru software engineer, Navya Shree, fell victim to a matrimonial scam, losing over ₹1.5 crore to a man posing as a wealthy businessman.

A 29-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru was tricked into losing more than ₹1.5 crore by a man she met on a matrimonial website.

After promises of marriage, she discovered his true identity and lodged a police complaint. (Pexels)

The woman, Navya Shree, met the man in March 2024 through a community matrimony site, the NDTV reported. The man said his name was Vijay and claimed to be a wealthy businessman who owned companies, trucks, land, and houses in posh areas of Bengaluru.

He also said he had assets worth hundreds of crores. To make his story sound real, he showed her old court papers and promised to marry her soon.

At first, Vijay asked for small amounts of money, saying he had temporary bank problems. Later, he convinced Navya to take loans and borrow money from friends, saying they would run a business together and earn profits. He also introduced his family to her, saying his father was a retired government officer. His family promised that all the money would be returned and even gave cheques as “guarantees.”

Slowly, more people got involved. Navya’s friends invested large sums, the report said. When they asked for their money back, Vijay said his bank accounts were frozen because of a legal case. He showed court papers again and went to Navya’s parents to gain their trust. Believing him, her parents gave him money, including her mother’s retirement savings. He also took loans against Navya’s jewellery and money from her siblings.

The truth came out when Navya went to his house to demand repayment. She discovered that Vijay was already married and had a child. The woman he had introduced as his sister was actually his wife, the report stated.

Navya has alleged that Vijay and his family worked together to cheat her and later threatened her when she asked for her money back. Police have registered a case of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and intimidation, and an investigation is ongoing.