Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 25: The Crime Branch of police has filed a case against scammers for duping a Srinagar man of Rs 7.76 lakh though a social networking site.
One Ishfaq Ahmed Zargar, a resident of Nowshehra Srinagar, has said in his complaint to the Crime Branch that he had developed friendship with a 'London-based woman Aasia Lina' on Facebook.
He said the 'woman' requested him to make arrangements for her visit to Kashmir. "The complainant received a phone call from her to collect a parcel sent by her at his address. Subsequently, he received another phone call and was requested to pay an amount of Rs 35,000 as custom charges on the parcel containing a cheque of hundred thousand pounds, a laptop and a cell phone, which she had purportedly sent on his address and he paid the money," a Crime Branch spokesman said in a statement.
Thereafter, the victim received a series of phone calls, being asked to pay Rs 68,000, Rs 1,79,500 and Rs 4,94000 for clearance in Foreign Ministry, obtaining the UN code, and government tax code, respectively.
"The complainant transferred the money into different account numbers provided by the accused woman. He was duped in this way for an amount of Rs 7,76,500," the spokesman said.
Subsequently, he said, a preliminary enquiry was initiated at Crime Branch Kashmir. During the course, it came to fore that the complainant has transferred the aforementioned amounts in various accounts on mere phone calls received by him on different occasions, realising later that he has been duped.
Giving details, he said the complainant transferred an amount of Rs 35000 on January 11, 2018 in the bank account maintained in the name of Samar Dass, resident of 13/39 Karunamoyee Ghat Road near Rangkalmath Kolkata, West Bengal.
The victim further transferred Rs 68000 and Rs 179500 in two separate accounts mentioned by one Rahul Varma, Delhi. The complainant also transferred an amount of Rs 494000 into the bank account maintained in the name of Waseem, resident of New Delhi.
"It transpired that he was further asked to deposit an amount of Rs 942000 for obtaining anti-terrorism code, but this time, the complainant realised that he had been duped," the spokesman said, adding that investigation was going on. |
