Mumbai: A 55-year-old woman from Lower Parel filed a complaint with the N M Joshi Marg police, alleging that she and her friend were cheated of Rs 3.78 lakh while trying to book VIP tents at the Kumbh Mela site in Prayagraj and air tickets to the city. Following the complaint, police have registered a case against unknown individuals.
Details On How Victim Was Scammed
According to officials, the woman, who owns a furniture shop, came across a website named tentcitymahakumbh while searching for accommodation options at the ongoing Kumbh Mela. She dialled the contact number listed on the site on February 7, but the person who answered told her he was not the right contact and that someone else would get back to her. About 30 minutes later, she received a call from a different number, and the caller sent her a brochure on WhatsApp detailing available tents. The caller also requested documents and personal details of those planning to visit.
After receiving the required details, the caller provided bank details under the name ‘UP State Tourism II’. Believing it to be an official tourism account, the complainant made an initial payment of Rs 35,000 without suspecting anything, as reported by Hindustan Times. The next day, on February 8, the accused contacted her again, claiming he could arrange flight tickets at discounted rates. He assured her that six tickets could be booked for Rs 2,61,990, and she proceeded with the payment. Her friend was to complete the remaining amount.
On February 10, the accused called again, stating that due to a delay in payment, the earlier offer was no longer valid and that they now had to pay an additional Rs 93,000 for the tickets. Left with no choice, the complainant and her friend transferred the remaining amount. However, after the payment, they never received the tickets, and the accused stopped answering their calls or responding to messages. Realizing they had been duped, they approached the police.
Case Registered In The Matter
The N M Joshi Marg police have registered a case against unidentified individuals under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for deception with dishonest intent and under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, which deal with identity theft and online fraud. Authorities are now investigating the matter and tracing the bank accounts and phone numbers used by the fraudsters.
