How a Mumbai businessman lost ₹55 lakh to a ‘veterinary doctor from London ’ he met on Facebook

Later, Malhotra was asked to pay Rs55 lakh to seal the partnership. Scot allegedly also told him that her employees would call him to go through the formalities.

A 27-year-old man textile entrepreneur from Ambernath was cheated of Rs55 lakh by an alleged veterinary doctor from London.

Shekhar Malhotra (name changed to protect identity) met Jent Scot (35) over Facebook a month ago, said the police. As they started talking, Scot told Malhotra that she was planning to expand her company and offered a 70% profit sharing partnership with him.

“I received Scot’s friend request early in June and after I accepted it, she told me that she had been a purchasing manager but was working as a veterinary doctor,” said Malhotra. “She told me that she wanted to expand her business of selling various plant seeds to the Indian dealers for medicinal use,” said Malhotra. He added, “Scot also told me that she was a widow, had a few friends and had visited India a few years ago.”

Later, Malhotra was asked to pay Rs55 lakh to seal the partnership. Scot allegedly also told him that her employees would call him to go through the formalities.

After Malhotra transferred the money, he was told that Richard would visit India but no one did. When Malhotra called on Richard’s number, he was told that they would file a case against him if he called on the number again and disconnected. After which the number was switched off, said Malhotra in his complaint.

Later on Monday, Malhotra lodged an FIR against the alleged cheats.

An officer from Shivaji nagar police station said, “We have registered a case against the four accused but no arrests have been made yet. We are taking cyber cell help to trace the accused. We doubt if they really are from London. We suspect that the accused are from Delhi and made fake account but we are still verifying the case.”