₹299 Dress Offer on Facebook Turns Into ₹1 Lakh Cyber Fraud for Mumbai Nurse

A nurse working at a private hospital in Mumbai was allegedly cheated of ₹1 lakh after falling for a fake online offer for a ₹299 dress, police said on Saturday.

According to officials from Deonar police station, the fraud took place between April 16 and April 20 while the woman, who lives in a hostel in the city, attempted to purchase a dress advertised on Facebook.

HOW THE SCAM UNFOLDED

The victim told police she came across a Facebook ad offering dresses for ₹299. After showing interest, she was contacted by the seller and asked to make an initial payment.

Soon after, the accused allegedly began demanding additional payments under various heads such as shipping charges, GPS tracking fees, verification codes and address confirmation.

Believing she would receive the product and a refund later, the nurse transferred money in multiple instalments over five days, eventually losing ₹1 lakh.

REALISATION AND COMPLAINT

When the order was neither delivered nor any refund processed, she realised she had been cheated.

She then reached out to the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) and filed a complaint. Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

Preliminary findings suggest the fraud was executed using a Facebook advertisement, a WhatsApp number and a fake delivery agent to gain the victim’s trust and extract money in stages.

Police have urged people to remain cautious of extremely low-priced online offers and verify sellers before making any payments.