Facebook Friendship Turns Into ₹1.27 Lakh Scam Over Fake London Currency Deal

A Gwalior contractor, Kamalkant Yadav, allegedly lost ₹1.27 lakh in a Facebook scam involving a fake London-based woman. The fraud began on 24 April and later moved to WhatsApp. Scammers demanded registration and processing fees after claiming foreign currency had arrived in his name. After paying multiple amounts, he reported the case.

A contractor from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, has allegedly lost ₹1.27 lakh after being cheated in an online scam linked to a fake Facebook profile. Police said the fraud started when the man accepted a friend request from an account claiming to belong to a woman from London.

The victim has been identified as Kamalkant Yadav, 28, who lives in the Jhansi Road area of Gwalior. According to the complaint, he connected with a profile named 'Lucy Charles' on 24 April, reported India Today.

Conversation moved to WhatsApp

Police said the woman gradually built trust and later shifted the chat to WhatsApp. On WhatsApp, she allegedly used the name 'Dr Patricia R Medicine'.

During the chats, she claimed she was a resident of London and planned to visit India soon. She also said she would bring 95,000 British pounds with her. This amount was described as a large sum, and she claimed she needed help converting it into Indian currency.

The contractor believed he could earn a commission from the currency exchange. Because of this, he continued talking to her.

Airport call and demand for fees

On 27 April, Yadav received another call from a woman who introduced herself as an employee at Mumbai airport. She told him that foreign currency had arrived in his name and needed to be cleared.

She said he had to pay registration charges before the money could be released. Later, she demanded additional payments under different names such as processing fees and clearance charges.

Police said the fraudsters used repeated requests to pressure him into sending money.

Money transferred in stages

Yadav first sent ₹38,500 as registration fees. After that, he transferred another ₹88,600 through multiple transactions. In total, he allegedly paid around ₹1.27 lakh to the scammers.

The accused later asked for an additional ₹70,000. At this stage, the contractor became suspicious and realised something was wrong.

Soon after understanding that he had been cheated, he contacted the cybercrime helpline number 1930 to report the case.

Police action and investigation

Following the complaint, Madhya Pradesh Police registered an e-zero FIR against unknown persons under sections related to cheating and the Information Technology Act.

Jhansi Road police station in-charge Shakti Singh Yadav confirmed that an investigation has started. He said the case involves a gang that creates fake social media identities to trap victims.

Police believe the group often promises currency exchange deals or expensive gifts to attract people. Once the victim shows interest, they demand different types of fees and collect money in stages.

Officials are now checking the bank accounts where the money was transferred. They are trying to trace the suspects and recover the funds.

Warning to the public

Police have advised people to be careful when dealing with strangers online. They warned that offers involving foreign currency, large gifts, or quick profit are often used in scams.

They also reminded citizens to verify identities and avoid sending money to unknown people. The investigation is continuing, and further details will be shared as the case develops.