New Delhi: A Deputy Manager at a general insurance company in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, was duped of Rs 39 lakhs on the pretext of an education loan scam.
The Initial Trap
The victim, Pratishtha Garg, residing in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, originally from Rohini, Delhi, fell prey to the elaborate con orchestrated by a group claiming to be loan brokers and representatives of a fictitious lending company.
Online Search Turns Deceptive: Sulekha.com Entry
Garg, in her FIR filed at the Rohini Cyber Police Station, stated that she was searching for an education loan online and entered her details on the website Sulekha.com.
False Promises and Fabricated Identities
Soon after, she received a call from a person named Nakul, who posed as a loan broker and assured her of a loan from a company called RS Enterprises.
Gaining Trust through Deceptive Means
Nakul, along with others posing as the company's accountant and owner, gained Garg's trust through fabricated documents and communication.
Fleecing the Victim: Various Fees and Exploitation
They then proceeded to fleece Garg by demanding various fees under different pretexts, including application fees, verification charges, approval fees, advance EMIs, and even NPCI approval costs, according to Rohini Cyber Police.
Refund Request Denied
The victim initially paid the demanded amounts, hoping to receive the actual loan sum. However, when she realised she was being scammed and requested a refund, the perpetrators refused, claiming the fees were non-refundable.
Continued Exploitation: 70 Transactions, Rs 39 Lakhs
Pratishtha Garg continued to pay the scammers to get her loan. In total, she made over 70 transactions, amounting to a staggering Rs 39 lakhs, before finally realising the entire scheme was a con.
FIR and Ongoing Investigation
Following Garg's complaint, the Delhi Police registered an FIR under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Rohini Cyber Police Station and initiated an investigation to track down the perpetrators and recover the stolen money. Further investigation is underway. More information is awaited.
(With ANI inputs)