Bengaluru woman duped of ₹5.6 lakh by ‘Canadian groom’ in online matrimonial scam

She was contacted by a man claiming to be a Canadian citizen of Karnataka origin and a senior executive at a reputed company, before duping her.

A 29-year-old woman from Bengaluru was swindled out of ₹5.6 lakh after falling victim to an elaborate online matrimonial scam. Fraudsters posing as an NRI groom and his associate tricked her into transferring money under the pretext of helping with customs clearance, reported The Times of India.

Bengaluru woman duped by a fraudster who claimed to be a groom with Canada citizenship. (Representational Image/Pixabay)

How the scam unfolded?

According to the report, the woman had created a profile on a matrimonial website, hoping to find a suitable partner. In early March, she was contacted by a man claiming to be a Canadian citizen of Karnataka origin and a senior executive at a reputed company. Their conversations soon shifted to WhatsApp, where he used a foreign number to communicate.

After a few days of frequent messaging, the man claimed he was flying to India to meet her and sent a photo of a flight ticket. He said he was bringing expensive gifts and a large sum of cash for her.

On April 17, he contacted her claiming he had landed in Delhi but was detained by immigration officials for carrying undeclared valuables and foreign currency. He requested urgent financial help, saying it was needed to avoid legal trouble.

Soon after, a woman who claimed to be a customs official called the victim, warning that the man could face jail time if customs duties and penalties weren’t paid immediately. Believing the story, the woman transferred ₹5.6 lakh in several instalments between April 17 and 20 to the bank accounts provided by the duo.

After receiving the money, both individuals became unreachable. Realising she had been duped, the victim contacted the national cybercrime helpline (1930) and filed a complaint with the police on April 24.

Police said such scams have been on the rise over the past few years, often involving fraudsters posing as NRIs with promises of wealth and gifts. A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).