Man posing as pilot dupes Gurugram woman of ₹2 crore

According to the woman, a resident of Sector 86, in December 2022, she received a friend request from ‘AlexWilli285’ who asked for her personal contact number. The person posed as a pilot associated with an international airline, and asked her to pay ₹ 35,000 before sending her a package meant for her

Updated on: Apr 13, 2023, 17:49:24 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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A 61-year-old Gurugram woman was duped of at least ₹2 crore allegedly by a man, whom she befriended on social media, on the pretext of sending her expensive gifts and foreign currency, police said on Tuesday.

The woman befriended the suspect on social media on the pretext of sending her expensive gifts and foreign currency. (Representational Image)

An FIR has been registered at cyber crime police station, Manesar, under Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act against unidentified people, said police.

According to the woman, who chose to remain anonymous, a resident of Sector 86, in December 2022, she received a friend request from ‘AlexWilli285’ who asked for her personal contact number. The person posed as a pilot associated with an international airline, and asked her to pay ₹ 35,000 before sending her a package meant for her.

Over the days, she transferred ₹2 crore in about 10 transactions of varying amounts.

“The user approached me saying that he is a pilot and works for an International airline. On December 5, he said he had a surprise package with gift items like iPhone, artificial jewellery, watch and other accessories. He said that the package, coming from Dubai, also contained cash for me and asked for my address and phone number and that he would send it to me if I paid ₹ 35,000. I paid the amount and then I got a call from another person, who posed as an official from the airport authority, and said that I have to pay a penalty of ₹1 lakh. The accused asked me to follow the instruction, and pay the penalty, and promised that I will get my money back. I was forced to transfer ₹95,000. He then again asked me to pay another ₹2 lakh for a certificate required to exchange currency from USD to INR, which I transferred, she said.

On December 9, she alleged that she got an SMS from another number claiming to be United Nations Anti-Terrorist Department, asking her to pay for a clearance form.

She further alleged that she received at least 100 calls from different agencies which threatened her to transfer the amounts, forcing her to take a personal loan, and another against her jewellery in December.

“I trusted them to give back my remaining amount like they promised but I was forced to take a loan against all my jewellery from a private finance company and scammers forced me to transfer that loan amount as well. I was also forced to transfer another ₹35 lakh from my business current account and ₹50 lakh as well as I received from sale of a plot in Tirupati. I also borrowed ₹24.5 lakh from my six relatives,” she said.

Police said that the victim also withdrew money from her joint bank account, which alerted her son, following which the cyber fraud was unearthed.

“We are regularly receiving similar complaints and we have been spreading awareness on social media platforms. People trust strangers and fall prey to their modus operandi,” said assistant commissioner of police (cyber) Priyanshu Diwan .

Following a complaint lodged by the woman, an FIR was registered against unidentified fraudster under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating) of IPC and section 66-D of IT act, said police

Diwan said they are verifying their IP addresses based on which raids will be conducted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More