In a recent case of cyber fraud, a Mumbai businessman was allegedly swindled by a Ukrainian woman, resulting in a loss of Rs 3.3 crore. The scammers contacted the victim under the pretence of business dealings and offered to send him a box containing cash from her country to India.
The 75-year-old Mumbai businessman, the owner of a private company, filed a complaint alleging that he was contacted via email by a woman named Esema, who claimed to be from Ukraine and expressed her desire to start a business in India. She cited the ongoing war in Ukraine has devastated her business and she now wants to venture into India, reported TOI.
Initially, the scammer inquired about purchasing machinery equipment from his company, but later proposed a business partnership. As part of this partnership, she promised the victim send him a box containing $9.7 lakh in cash, equivalent to Rs 8 crore in Indian currency.
The elderly business agreed for the business and kept his conversation going by mail. The victim even received an ID via email, providing him with the courier box s tracking ID number from Esema.
However, the situation took a drastic turn when a few days later he received a call informing him that a box containing a large sum of money had been seized by Indonesian authorities in Jakarta. To retrieve the box, the man was instructed to pay various fees. Following the instructions of the fake businesswoman from Ukraine, the elderly man proceeded to make payments to 101 different account numbers, all of which were located in India.
The victim was repeatedly asked to send money by the email sender, who claimed to be an authority figure. The sender made various demands, including providing clearance certificates and transferring fees to anonymous accounts, under the threat of legal action. Additionally, the victim was also instructed to submit numerous documents, including income tax reports, a power of attorney, insurance documents, and various certificates.
Over eight months, in the hope of recovering his seized funds, followed officers’ (who were apparently scammers) instructions and paid a total of Rs 3.3 crore in 8 months. However, he never received the promised Rs 8 crore, and the sender eventually ceased communication.
Source : India Today
