Insta ‘friend’ extorts ₹3.68 lakh from married woman

“On February 8, the accused – who identified himself as Alex Lorenzo – had sent me a gift for Valentine’s day. He also said that I would have to pay a fee of €750 after receiving the parcel which he has kept in an envelope inside it,” the complainant told the police.

Mumbai: A 51-year-old married woman from Khar lost ₹3.68 lakh after she tried to get a Valentine’s Day gift sent by a man she met on Instagram. The courier company, which handled the transaction, was also involved in the scam.

An official from Khar police said that after receiving the complaint from the woman, an FIR had been registered against two unidentified men. “The perpetrators have been booked under sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code as well as the relevant sections of the IT Act,” he said. (Image for representation)

“On February 8, the accused – who identified himself as Alex Lorenzo – had sent me a gift for Valentine’s day. He also said that I would have to pay a fee of €750 after receiving the parcel which he has kept in an envelope inside it,” the complainant told the police.

She received a message from a courier company telling her that due to the parcel being heavier than the permissible limit, she would have to pay an additional charge of ₹72,000.

The company representatives got back to her with the information that they had found European currency notes in the parcel. “To avoid being charged for money laundering, I would be required to pay ₹2,65,000 which too I sent to another Indian account holder,” she further said in her complaint.

Later, she was asked to pay another ₹98,000 to get back the amount that her friend purportedly sent her in the parcel. At this point, she said to Lorenzo that she would not pay any more fines. It was then that he threatened her to put her pictures online and share them with her family as well. After realising that Lorenzo may have planned to con her off the money from the start, she decided to approach the police.

An official from Khar police said that after receiving the complaint from the woman, an FIR had been registered against two unidentified men. “The perpetrators have been booked under sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code as well as the relevant sections of the IT Act,” he said.