BENGALURU: A man cheated a domestic help to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh, by claiming to be a messenger of God. The woman had met the man over Facebook, where he said that he was living in London and that he had been sent by God to help her. Within two days of knowing her over the social network, he said he was sending some gifts and pounds worth Rs 27 lakh. He asked her for some money as customs charge. The woman paid him Rs 2.5 lakh, only to realise that he had cheated her.
The victim is Amudha, 32, a resident of Anganavadi Road. In her police complaint, she said that Subin allegedly claimed that he befriended her to help her as he was God’s messenger. Amudha’s two children, a son and a daughter, suspected him of being a fraud but Subin told them that he was sent by God, and that he had bought some gifts for them. He even sent them a picture of the gifts to really make them believe him.
On April 14, Subin called Amudha and told that her the gifts and money was in the airport and she needed to pay Rs 25,000 to get them released. Amudha managed to get the money by selling her gold ornaments. He further asked Rs 75,000 to pay income tax officials. Amudha took a loan the second time and transferred it Subin.
On April 15, Subin called her again and told her that the gifts had been caught by customs officials in the Mumbai airport and she had to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to get them. Amudha took a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh from a financier in Gandhi Bazar. When Amudha did not receive the gifts and money, she contacted Subin who told her that the courier was in Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and she needed to pay Rs 40,000 more to get it.
Growing suspicious, Amudha’s daughter started chatting with Subin on Facebook through a different account, and saw he used a different picture. Realising they had been cheated, Amudha finally filed a complaint with the Channammanakere Acchukattu police on Monday.