Facebook Friendship Turns Costly: Man Loses ₹54 Lakh to Online Fraud

Cases of online fraud through social media friendships are increasing rapidly. A similar incident has been reported in Bijnor, where a middle-aged man was cheated of his lifetime savings after accepting a friend request from an unknown woman on Facebook. Acting on his complaint, the Cyber Police Station has registered a case and begun an investigation.

According to police, the victim received a friend request from a foreign woman named Jenson Helena. Claiming to be educated and well-mannered, she gradually built trust through regular chats. Within days, she shared her phone number and home address and took the victim’s personal details as well. Later, their conversation shifted to WhatsApp, where she started calling him her husband and promised to live with him in future.

Gift Parcel Used as Bait

On 5 May, the woman told the victim that she had sent him a 10-kg gift parcel and shared a docket number of a logistics company. The next day, a man posing as a delivery agent called and said government permissions were required to release the parcel. Soon after, the victim began receiving calls and messages from people pretending to be customs officers who demanded money for various approvals.

Whenever he raised doubts, the woman assured him that the process was genuine and that all money would be returned after the parcel was delivered. Trusting her words, the victim continued to make payments.

More Than ₹54 Lakh Lost

Between 7 May and the following months, the man transferred ₹54,36,100 to multiple bank accounts. But no parcel ever reached him. When he asked for his money back, the fraudsters demanded an additional ₹1,82,400. Realising he had been cheated, the victim filed a complaint with the Cyber Police Station.

Station in-charge Tejveer Singh confirmed that a case has been registered. He said the matter is under investigation and efforts are being made to trace the accused.