Rs 299 dress on Facebook turns into Rs 1 lakh scam for Mumbai nurse

A Mumbai nurse alleged she was cheated of Rs 1 lakh while trying to buy a Rs 299 dress online. The case has led Deonar police to examine a Facebook ad, a WhatsApp number and a fake delivery agent.

In Short

• The victim said she spotted the bargain dress advertisement on Facebook
• After the initial payment, fresh charges were raised under multiple pretexts
• She was promised refunds and delivery while transfers continued for five days

A nurse working at a private hospital in Mumbai was allegedly cheated of Rs 1 lakh after she tried to purchase a dress for Rs 299 online, police said on Saturday.

The nurse, who lives in a hostel in the city, lost the money between April 16 and April 20, said an official from Deonar police station.

In her complaint, the nurse said she came across an advertisement on Facebook offering dresses at just Rs 299. She then tried to buy one piece.

The person at the other end initially sought payment for the dress, but later "continued to extract money under various pretexts such as shipping charges, GPS charges, tracking fees, verification codes, and address confirmation", the official said.

The nurse told the police that she sent Rs 1 lakh over five days, and she was repeatedly assured that most of the money would be refunded and the order would be delivered.

When nothing happened, she realised that she had been scammed. The nurse contacted the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and lodged a complaint. The Deonar police have registered a case and launched a probe, the official said.

Citing a preliminary investigation, the official said the fraud was orchestrated using a Facebook advertisement, a WhatsApp number and a fake delivery agent.

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