Cyber Fraudsters Dupe Daskroi Resident of ₹2.65 Lakh Using Fake Russia Visa Threat
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Police have launched an investigation after cyber criminals impersonated a relative living in Russia to extort ₹2.65 lakh from a resident in Daskroi, near Ahmedabad, by fabricating a threat of eight years in prison over an expired visa.
Impersonation and Fraudulent Demands
Santosh Yadav, originally from Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Daskroi, received a message via Facebook Messenger purportedly from his cousin Rajaram Yadav, who works in Russia. The fraudster claimed Rajaram's visa had expired and that an agency was threatening to block the visa and jail him for eight years unless ₹95,000 was settled immediately.
The scammer then shared a phone number claiming to belong to the visa agent. When Yadav contacted the number on WhatsApp, the individual posing as the agent demanded funds urgently. Yadav transferred ₹95,000 through a provided QR code using his two bank accounts and a friend's assistance. Shortly after receiving the initial sum, the fraudster extracted another ₹1.70 lakh citing administrative processing, bringing the total sum paid to ₹2.65 lakh.
Unravelling the Scam
Suspicion arose when the fraudster called again demanding an additional ₹2.70 lakh to book flight tickets. Yadav reached out to Dayaram, the younger brother of Rajaram, who established direct contact with Rajaram in Russia. Rajaram confirmed he was safe, employed, and had never requested any money or assistance.
Realising he had been targeted in an online impersonation scheme, Yadav lodged an immediate complaint on the national cyber crime helpline 1930. Police authorities have registered an official case and initiated technical procedures to trace the suspect's mobile location and freeze the recipient bank accounts involved in the transactions.
