Cyber Fraudster Held for Duping Man of Rs 34.37 lakhs By Using Fake FB Profile

Bhubaneswar: The Cyber Crime and Economic Offence Police on Saturday apprehended a cyber fraudster for duping a man of more than Rs 34.37 lakhs by creating a fake profile on social media.

The arrested fraudster has been identified as Sreedhar Maharana (26) of Berhampy presently staying at Khan Nagar in Cuttack, the police said, adding that mobile phones, a laptop, debit cards from different banks and one ID card were seized from him.

Investigating a complaint lodged by one, Ankit Kumar Gupta, the Cyber police arrested the accused and forwarded him to court today.

According to police, the accused had created a fake Facebook profile in the name of a girl and had given a picture of a beautiful woman as a display picture mentioning herself as a third-year MBBS student at a private medical college in her bio.

As the accused sent the victim a friend request, he accepted her request and started chatting through the FB Messenger App and exchanged their phone numbers. Later they started chatting with each other on WhatsApp.

During that conversation, the accused blackmailed the victim with the intention of emotionally manipulating him and demanded money at various times for medical treatment of family members and college fees.

Showing sympathy and without checking the authenticity of the accused, the victim paid a total of Rs.34,37,500/- to different accounts within one year.

After learning that he had been defrauded, the victim lodged a written complaint with the Cyber Crime and Economic Offence Police Station.

The police investigated the case and arrested the following accused and seized the phone, laptop, debit card, ID card etc., used in committing the crime, from his custody and brought him to the police station.

During interrogation, the accused confessed his crime. Further investigation of the case is ongoing, the police said.

If anyone has any complaint related to cyber crime then one can contact 1930 and register a complaint. In case of any cyber-related complaint in Bhubaneswar, one can call 74406709 or send a complaint through WhatsApp.