Bengaluru woman falls victim to fake Instagram astrologer; ends up losing Rs 6 lakh to fix astrological issues
Synopsis
A 24-year-old woman from Bengaluru was scammed out of Rs 6 lakh by a man pretending to be an astrologer on Instagram. Claiming to help her with a love marriage, the fraudster, who identified himself as Vijay Kumar, convinced her to pay for multiple rituals to fix astrological issues in her horoscope. After fleecing her for nearly Rs 6 lakh, he returned a small portion of the money and threatened suicide if she demanded more.
By ET Online
A 24-year-old woman from Bengaluru was recently scammed out of nearly Rs 6 lakh by a man pretending to be an astrologer on Instagram. The accused, who went by the name Vijay Kumar, promised to help the woman with obstacles in her future love marriage through a series of ritualistic pujas. However, what started as a minor payment for a simple ritual turned into a significant financial loss as the fake astrologer manipulated her into paying large sums under false pretenses.
The Beginnings of the Scam
According to a report by Times of India, the woman, employed in a private firm in Electronics City, first came across the Instagram profile ‘splno1indianastrologer’ on January 5. The profile claimed to offer astrological expertise and featured an image of an Aghori baba.
Intrigued by the claim, she messaged the account, where she was quickly contacted by Vijay Kumar, who asked her to provide her name and date of birth to assess her horoscope. Once Kumar had the details, he assured her that she was destined for a love marriage, but there were certain astrological issues that needed to be resolved.
The Fraudulent Pujas: A Growing Financial Burden
Kumar then suggested that a puja be performed to eliminate these obstacles. The cost for this initial puja was Rs 1,820, a sum the woman considered reasonable and paid via a digital payment app. However, Kumar’s demands did not stop there.
He continuously fabricated new issues with her horoscope, convincing her that more rituals were needed to ensure the success of her marriage. Over time, the woman transferred a staggering Rs 5.9 lakh to Kumar for these supposed pujas, each payment backed by elaborate stories of impending marital problems.
Realization and Threats: Attempt to Retrieve Money
Eventually, the woman began to suspect that she was being scammed. She refused to make any more payments and demanded that Kumar return the money she had already transferred. Although he refunded Rs 13,000, Kumar turned hostile, threatening to end his life if she continued to pressure him for the remaining balance.
In a chilling turn of events, a man named Prashant, claiming to be an advocate, called the woman, warning her that Kumar was on the brink of suicide because of her demands for a refund.
Disturbed by these threats, the woman approached the police. A senior officer from the Electronics City police station stated that the entire incident appeared to be a cybercrime operation, with neither an actual astrologer nor an advocate involved.
The police have since registered a case under the Information Technology Act and BNS Section 318 (cheating) against Vijay Kumar and his accomplices. Authorities are urging the public to be cautious when dealing with online individuals or profiles that promise services like astrology, particularly when financial transactions are involved.
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The Beginnings of the Scam
According to a report by Times of India, the woman, employed in a private firm in Electronics City, first came across the Instagram profile ‘splno1indianastrologer’ on January 5. The profile claimed to offer astrological expertise and featured an image of an Aghori baba. Intrigued by the claim, she messaged the account, where she was quickly contacted by Vijay Kumar, who asked her to provide her name and date of birth to assess her horoscope. Once Kumar had the details, he assured her that she was destined for a love marriage, but there were certain astrological issues that needed to be resolved.
The Fraudulent Pujas: A Growing Financial Burden
Kumar then suggested that a puja be performed to eliminate these obstacles. The cost for this initial puja was Rs 1,820, a sum the woman considered reasonable and paid via a digital payment app. However, Kumar’s demands did not stop there. He continuously fabricated new issues with her horoscope, convincing her that more rituals were needed to ensure the success of her marriage. Over time, the woman transferred a staggering Rs 5.9 lakh to Kumar for these supposed pujas, each payment backed by elaborate stories of impending marital problems.
Realization and Threats: Attempt to Retrieve Money
Eventually, the woman began to suspect that she was being scammed. She refused to make any more payments and demanded that Kumar return the money she had already transferred. Although he refunded Rs 13,000, Kumar turned hostile, threatening to end his life if she continued to pressure him for the remaining balance. ADVERTISEMENT
In a chilling turn of events, a man named Prashant, claiming to be an advocate, called the woman, warning her that Kumar was on the brink of suicide because of her demands for a refund.
Disturbed by these threats, the woman approached the police. A senior officer from the Electronics City police station stated that the entire incident appeared to be a cybercrime operation, with neither an actual astrologer nor an advocate involved.
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The police have since registered a case under the Information Technology Act and BNS Section 318 (cheating) against Vijay Kumar and his accomplices. Authorities are urging the public to be cautious when dealing with online individuals or profiles that promise services like astrology, particularly when financial transactions are involved.
