An 85-year-old man from Pune, who was searching for a life partner, has reportedly fallen victim to a matrimonial ad scam, losing over ₹11.45 lakh in the process. The senior citizen, residing in the Bibwewadi area, responded to a newspaper advertisement, which led him into a costly trap. According to police reports, between April 18 and June 1, the victim transferred a substantial amount of money to multiple bank accounts as directed by the “prospective bride.”
The ordeal began when the man called the contact number listed in the ad and was prompted to pay a registration fee to proceed with the matchmaking process. “After completing the registration, the person on the other end provided details of a woman, claiming she would be his bride. The woman subsequently contacted the victim, and they engaged in a series of conversations,” explained a police officer involved in the case.
Over time, the woman gained the victim’s trust, eventually making promises of marriage. However, she then began to request financial assistance for various reasons. Trusting her intentions, the victim deposited money into different bank accounts as per her demands. Despite fulfilling her financial requests, the woman began to evade his inquiries about their impending marriage, prompting him to seek help from law enforcement.
On Friday, the police at the Bibwewadi station registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Indian Penal Code, as well as relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act. Authorities are currently investigating the mobile number and bank accounts used by the fraudsters in an effort to track them down.
This unfortunate incident serves as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of online and newspaper matrimonial ads, highlighting the need for vigilance and thorough verification when seeking companionship. Stay tuned to know more about it and others only with us.
Follow Us
