Mumbai, August 08: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, an 80-year-old retired professional from Mumbai was conned out of nearly INR 9 crore over a span of 22 months by a group of four women — who police now suspect may actually be one individual operating under multiple aliases. The scam began in April 2023 when the man sent a Facebook friend request to a woman named Sharvi. Though the request was initially ignored, he soon received a friend request from the same account, which he accepted.

Chats quickly moved to WhatsApp, where Sharvi told the man she was separated from her husband and had sick children. She gradually began asking for money for their treatment. Soon after, a woman named Kavita — claiming to be Sharvi’s acquaintance — began sending flirtatious and obscene messages and also started asking for money. Pregnancy Job in Nawada: Bizarre Cyber Fraud Uncovered in Bihar; Youth Duped With Fake Job Offers, Mastermind and Minors Arrested.

Fake Death, Emotional Blackmail and Multiple Avatars

In December 2023, the man was contacted by “Dinaz,” who claimed to be Sharvi’s sister and said Sharvi had died. Dinaz demanded money for medical bills and used screenshots of chats to blackmail the man. When he hesitated, she threatened suicide. Later, another woman named Jasmine appeared, seeking help as Dinaz’s friend. ‘Mele Babu Ne Khana Khaya?’ Used for Cyber Fraud: MP Youth Held for Posing as Woman, Using Fake Nude Pics To Dupe Men; Video of Fraudster Imitating Female Voice Surfaces.

Between April 2023 and January 2025, the man made 734 payments totaling INR 8.7 crore. When his savings ran out, he borrowed from his family, raising suspicions. After revealing the truth to his son, he was hospitalised in shock and diagnosed with dementia. A cybercrime complaint was registered on July 22. Police are investigating and believe the four women may all be the same cyber fraudster.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2025 12:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).