‘Instagram astrologer’ dupes woman of ₹2.11 lakh in months-long scam

The accused gained the victim’s confidence through repeated interactions, including phone calls, and claimed to possess spiritual powers to resolve her problems. Police said the accused then demanded money on the pretext of performing religious rituals and guaranteeing solutions

Thane: A 27-year-old woman from Bhiwandi was allegedly cheated of ₹2.11 lakh over seven months by an unidentified individual posing as an astrologer on Instagram, police said.

‘Instagram astrologer’ dupes woman of ₹2.11 lakh in months-long scam

According to investigators, the victim, a chartered accountant, came across an Instagram account named “astrologer_kinnar_sita_ma” on August 31, 2025 through an advertisement on the application and initiated contact after finding the content relevant to her personal struggles.

Over time, the accused gained her confidence through repeated interactions, including phone calls, and claimed to possess spiritual powers to resolve her problems.

Police said the accused then demanded money on the pretext of performing religious rituals and guaranteeing solutions. Between August 2025 and March 2026, the victim allegedly transferred ₹2.11 lakh in five instalments via UPI and QR code-based transactions.

After receiving the payments, the accused ceased communication and deactivated the social media account.

The victim initially filed a complaint through the national cybercrime helpline and later approached the Shantinagar Police Station in Bhiwandi on March 19.

Senior inspector Vinayak Gaikwad said a case has been registered under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. “We have traced the contact number used by the accused and initiated a detailed investigation into the cyber fraud,” he said.