Woman Duped of Rs 7.10 Lakh in Online Gift Fraud: Mangaluru Police Investigate

A woman has fallen victim to an online scam, losing Rs 7.10 lakh after being deceived by fraudsters posing as a Florida-based neurologist. According to her complaint to the Mangaluru South Police Station, the victim received a Facebook message on February 26 from a man claiming to be Dr. Tushar Patel, a divorcee with a child and a neurologist at Florida University.

Their conversation shifted to WhatsApp, where Dr. Patel allegedly informed her that he had sent a valuable package containing a platinum watch, diamonds, gold, a laptop, a mobile phone, and $90,000 in cash. He also told her she would receive a call from the airport regarding the delivery.

The following day, the woman received a call from someone pretending to be from the airport, claiming the gifts had arrived. The caller insisted she pay a security deposit and clear a money laundering check in order to receive the package. Trusting the fraudster, the woman transferred Rs 7.10 lakh to the given bank accounts, only to realize later that she had been scammed.

The Mangaluru South Police have launched an investigation into the case, urging people to be cautious of online frauds, especially those involving fake gift offers or unexpected financial requests.

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