Key Points:
Bengaluru divorcee befriended by man posing as Belgian doctor on matrimonial portal
Relationship turned romantic and moved to WhatsApp conversations
Accused claimed to send expensive Valentine gift and foreign currency
Fake customs callers demanded duty, tax and clearance fees
Woman transferred over Rs 1.3 lakh in multiple payments
A 34-year-old divorcee from Veeranapalya in Bengaluru was cheated of more than Rs 1.3 lakh after a cybercriminal posing as a Belgium-based doctor befriended her on a matrimonial website and trapped her in a fake Valentine gift parcel scam. The woman later filed a complaint with the cybercrime police after realizing the parcel and the doctor never existed.
Impersonation of medical professionals is becoming a growing cybercrime pattern. Earlier healthcare-related fraud mainly involved fake hospital billing or appointment booking scams. Now criminals are using the social trust attached to doctors to accelerate emotional bonding and financial compliance.
According to police, the woman had registered on a matrimonial portal for divorcees when she received a request from a man claiming to be a doctor working in Belgium. The two began chatting regularly and soon moved their conversation to WhatsApp.
The accused gained her confidence over time, expressed romantic interest and promised marriage. He maintained constant contact and built emotional dependence, which investigators say is a common tactic in romance frauds.
Around Valentine’s Day, the man informed her that he had sent expensive gifts and euros to India as a gesture of love. Shortly afterward, she received a call from a person claiming to be a customs officer who said a parcel addressed to her had arrived but was held for clearance.
The caller asked her to pay charges including customs duty, handling fees and tax. Trusting the doctor’s assurances, she transferred money in multiple transactions.
Even after payments were made, the callers continued demanding more money for additional clearances. When she questioned the supposed doctor, he insisted further payment was necessary to release the parcel. Suspicious of repeated demands, she stopped responding and approached police.
Speaking to The Times of India, a senior police officer said such cases increase during Valentine’s season when fraudsters emotionally manipulate victims through promises of love, marriage and gifts from abroad.
Investigators noted that criminals commonly create fake profiles of foreign professionals, especially doctors, engineers and army officers, to appear trustworthy and financially stable.
A case has been registered and police have begun tracking the bank accounts and phone numbers used in the fraud.
(Rh/ARC)
