Instagram Scam Costs Hyderabad Woman ₹3.2 Lakh
HYDERABAD: A woman from East Marredpally has lodged a complaint with cybercrime police after allegedly being cheated of ₹3.21 lakh by a fraudster who claimed he wanted to build family relationships in India.
The victim told police that while watching reels on Instagram, she came across an advertisement under the name “AR”. The advertisement featured a man identified as Vishal Sharma, who claimed to be living in the United Kingdom and said his wife had died. He stated that he wanted to establish family ties in India.
Victim Contacted Through WhatsApp
After the woman clicked on the link in the advertisement, Vishal Sharma allegedly contacted her through a WhatsApp call and introduced himself. He later told her that he was travelling to India and was bringing a valuable gift for her.
The next day, the woman received a call from individuals claiming to be airport officials. They told her that Vishal Sharma had been detained because he was carrying UK currency, gold and other valuable items and had failed to pay customs and income tax charges.
Fake Customs Claim Leads to Financial Loss
The callers allegedly told the woman that the taxes had to be paid for Vishal Sharma’s release. Believing their claims, she transferred ₹3.21 lakh.
The victim later realised she had been cheated after repeated calls to Vishal Sharma went unanswered and his phone was switched off. She subsequently approached the police and filed a complaint. Police have launched an inquiry into the case.
