A Bengaluru man has allegedly fallen victim to a cyber fraud after transferring nearly ₹1 lakh to a person who claimed to be a friend of his niece studying medicine abroad.
According to a police complaint, Naveen (name changed) received information that his sister-in-law’s daughter, an MBBS student pursuing higher education overseas, urgently needed money to pay her college fees before upcoming examinations. The family was reportedly told that any delay in payment could affect her eligibility to appear for the exams.
Fraudster exploits urgency
Amid the pressure to arrange funds quickly, a woman identifying herself as Deepika allegedly contacted the family and claimed to be a close friend of the student.
She reportedly suggested an alternative method of transferring the money, stating that sending the amount to an acquaintance’s bank account in India would ensure the student received the full amount without deductions linked to foreign exchange transactions.
Believing the explanation and trusting the caller, Naveen transferred ₹98,000 along with an additional ₹2,000 through Google Pay to the account provided on May 9.
Realisation of the scam
Soon after receiving the money, the woman allegedly became unreachable. Her phone was reportedly switched off, and repeated attempts to contact her failed.
Suspecting foul play, Naveen realised he had been deceived and approached the authorities. A complaint was subsequently lodged at the CK Achukattu Police Station.
Police investigation underway
Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and Sections 318 (cheating) and 319 (cheating by personation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Investigators suspect cybercriminals impersonated the student’s friend and exploited the family’s urgency and concern to carry out the fraud.
Officials have urged citizens to independently verify identities before transferring money, particularly when requests involve emergencies, educational fees or other urgent financial transactions communicated through phone calls or messaging applications.