Overview

• Between June and August 2024, fraudsters used social engineering on Instagram to lure a 46-year-old Airoli resident with promises of an expensive UK gift.
• The victim was then contacted by a woman posing as a customs officer at Delhi airport who demanded payments for duties, handling and foreign exchange fees.
• Over several weeks, she transferred a total of Rs 49.59 lakh to multiple bank accounts provided by the accused before realizing the parcel would never arrive.
• Rabale police have registered charges under sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.
• The case has been transferred to the cyber cell for further investigation and authorities have urged people to verify identities before making any payments on social media.