The Mysuru City Cyber Crime Police Station has registered its first case for the year 2026, involving a massive online fraud where a local teacher was duped of a staggering Rs 11.76 lakh. The elaborate scam began with a contact made through a matrimonial website and spun a web of lies around a non-existent gift parcel containing foreign currency.
The Deceptive Call and the Fake 'Sachin'
According to the police complaint, the victim, a resident of west Mysuru, received an unsolicited call in the fourth week of September. The caller introduced himself as Sachin and claimed to have obtained her mobile number from a matrimonial portal. He built a rapport with her over regular conversations, stating his intention to visit India soon for marriage and expressing a desire to send her a gift as a token of affection.
To lend credibility to his story, the fraudster even sent photographs of a supposed gift parcel. This carefully crafted narrative was designed to gain the teacher's trust, setting the stage for the financial trap that followed.
The Customs Ruse and the Financial Drain
Shortly after Sachin's call, the complainant received another call from a different number. This time, the person pretended to be a customs official. He informed her that a parcel sent by Sachin had arrived but was held because it contained 47,000 euros.
The fake official insisted that immediate payment of various charges was required to release the parcel. Under pressure and believing the story to be genuine, the teacher made an initial transfer of Rs 35,000. This first payment opened the floodgates.
"Thereafter, she was repeatedly contacted and persuaded to make further payments on different pretexts such as customs clearance, processing fees, penalty charges, and other formalities," the police stated. Each time, she was assured that the payment was the final requirement and the parcel would be delivered immediately.
Three Months of Pressure and Mounting Losses
For the next three months, the cybercriminals maintained relentless pressure on the victim. Trusting their false assurances and succumbing to continuous coercion, she kept transferring money multiple times from her two bank accounts. The pretexts kept changing, but the demand for money was constant.
It was only on January 2, after making numerous transactions, that she realized she had been deceived. By then, the total financial loss amounted to Rs 11,76,000. She subsequently approached the Mysuru cyber police and filed a formal complaint, leading to the registration of the case.
A Stark Reminder Amid Rising Cyber Fraud
This incident highlights the sophisticated methods employed by online scammers who exploit personal information from platforms like matrimonial sites. An investigating officer noted that despite widespread awareness campaigns, residents continue to fall prey to such traps, resulting in significant financial losses.
The case serves as a critical warning to the public to exercise extreme caution with unsolicited contacts, especially those involving financial transactions or too-good-to-be-true promises. The police urge citizens to verify such claims through official channels and never transfer money under pressure to unknown individuals.
