Belthangady: Police have registered a cheating case after a businessman from Belthangady alleged that a woman he befriended through a matrimonial application duped him of ₹87.22 lakh by gaining his trust and seeking money on various pretexts.
According to the complaint, the businessman came into contact with the 35-year-old woman through a matrimonial app in May 2024. The two remained in regular contact over the phone, during which she allegedly developed a close relationship with him and gradually gained his confidence.
Money transferred over several months
Police said the woman allegedly convinced the complainant to transfer money to multiple bank accounts between September 26, 2024, and January 20, 2025. She reportedly cited different reasons each time and assured him that the money would be returned.
Trusting her claims, the businessman transferred a total of ₹87,22,710 through multiple transactions over the four-month period.
Woman becomes unreachable
The complainant later realised he had been cheated after the woman allegedly stopped responding to his calls and messages. Despite repeated attempts to contact her and recover the money, she remained unreachable.
Suspecting that he had been defrauded, the businessman approached the Belthangady Police and lodged a formal complaint.
Police begin investigation
Based on the complaint, Belthangady Police have registered a case of cheating and launched an investigation to trace the accused woman and track the flow of funds transferred to the various bank accounts.
Police are also examining the financial transactions and other digital evidence to establish the nature of the fraud and identify any possible accomplices.
Authorities have advised the public to exercise caution while interacting with strangers on matrimonial and social networking platforms. They have urged users not to transfer money to individuals they have met online without proper verification, regardless of the trust developed through virtual interactions.