Mumbai Senior Loses Rs 9 Crore in Cyber Fraud After Fake Friend Request

Mumbai Senior Loses Rs 9 Crore in Cyber Fraud After Fake Friend Request

In a disturbing case from Mumbai, an 80-year-old man was defrauded of nearly Rs 9 crore over almost two years through an elaborate cyber scam involving multiple fake profiles. The scam unfolded over 734 online transactions, leaving the elderly victim devastated and hospitalized with a diagnosis of dementia.

How the Cyber Scam Began: Fake Facebook Friend Request Leads to WhatsApp Fraud

The ordeal started in April 2023 when the elderly man sent a friend request on Facebook to a woman named Sharvi, who initially did not accept the request. Days later, he received a friend request from Sharvi’s account and accepted it. They began chatting, exchanging phone numbers, and moving their conversations to WhatsApp. Sharvi claimed to be separated from her husband and living with her children, gradually asking for money citing her children’s poor health.

Multiple Fake Profiles Exploit Trust to Extract Money

Shortly after, another woman named Kavita contacted the man on WhatsApp, introducing herself as an acquaintance of Sharvi. She started sending inappropriate messages and also requested money. Later, in December 2023, the victim received messages from Dinaz, who claimed to be Sharvi’s sister. Dinaz said Sharvi had died and demanded payment for hospital bills, using screenshots of chats between Sharvi and the man as proof to extort more money. When the man requested his money back, Dinaz threatened to commit suicide. Subsequently, Jasmine contacted the man claiming to be Dinaz’s friend and also sought financial help.

Elderly Victim Transfers Rs 8.7 Crore Over 734 Transactions

Between April 2023 and January 2025, the victim transferred a staggering Rs 8.7 crore across 734 transactions to the fraudsters. Exhausting his savings, he borrowed Rs 2 lakh from his daughter-in-law and later asked his son for Rs 5 lakh to meet the continuous demands.

Family Intervention and Hospitalization Reveal Dementia Diagnosis

Suspicious about his father’s repeated requests, the son confronted him and uncovered the scam. The emotional shock forced the elderly man to be admitted to hospital, where he was diagnosed with dementia. The distress caused by the scam and the large financial losses severely affected his health.