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Man loses Rs 48K to ‘FB friend from US’
Accepting Facebook request from an unknown woman from United States proved costly for an unemployed Gorakhpur youth who ended up paying Rs 48,000 to the fraudster
Accepting Facebook request from an unknown woman from United States proved costly for an unemployed Gorakhpur youth who ended up paying Rs 48,000 to the fraudster in the name of a job promise, said police.
The police have registered an FIR under IT Act and IPC section 420 against a Delhi-based woman, in whose account the money was transferred.
It all started in August when MK Srivastava, 30, who was looking for job after completing his BTech received a Facebook request from one Amenda Clifton.
Clifton claimed she lived in Arizona area of America and worked as HR manager with a million dollar real estate company.
Initially, they started chatting on Facebook messenger and later shifted to WhatsApp.
When the youth told the woman that he was desperately looking for a job she told him that she was coming to India to recruit some applicants and would offer him a highly paid job.
To build confidence she shared some of her photos working in swanky offices along with documents identifying her as HR manager of a US-based firm.
On Friday, the man received a call from the woman who told him that she had landed at Mumbai Airport but unable to move out due to non-clearance by immigration officials. She said she needed Rs 48,000 urgently to pay off officials to get away.
She said that she was carrying US dollars which the immigrant officials had refused to accept and therefore needed money in Indian currency.
The youth deposited the money in the account number provided by the woman. The account was of one Parmendra Kumari, a resident of Delhi.
After transfer of money, the women asked the man to wait for the call and disconnected the phone .
When the youth didn’t receive any call despite waiting for two days he realised that he was duped and rushed to the police station to lodge a complaint.
“The online fraud gang has connections in Delhi and Mumbai. The case is being probed and soon the racket will be busted. An FIR under section 42( fraud) and IT Act has been registered against gang member Parmendra Kumari,” said circle officer Praveen Singh.
