Fraudster exploits Kozhikode doctor's goodwill, extracts Rs 4 cr over 200 transactions

A 67-year-old doctor from Kozhikode fell victim to an elaborate scam and lost Rs 4.08 crore to a man who exploited his sympathy and goodwill. The Cyber Crime Police Station in Kozhikode has launched an investigation.

The accused, identified as Amit, a resident of Dungarpur in Rajasthan, first contacted the doctor in January 2024. Amit, posing as a member of the same community, claimed he lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was in a dire financial situation. His fabricated story revolved around his family's desperate situation, including the treatment of his paralyzed wife, mother's critical illness and sister's emotional distress.

Amit's manipulation began with a small request of Rs 5,000 on January 31, 2024. Over the following months, he continuously contacted the victim with increasingly elaborate and emotionally charged stories. Amit alleged that his village was engulfed in communal riots, that people from other communities had kidnapped him, and that his sister had committed suicide, blaming the doctor for not sending money to help them. These stories were carefully crafted to evoke maximum sympathy and urgency.

Between January 31 and August 23, 2024, Amit extracted a staggering Rs 4,08,80,457 from the doctor through nearly 200 transactions. The fraudster used QR codes to collect the money, further facilitating the scam. The victim, deeply convinced of Amit's desperate situation, even took out a gold loan to provide the requested funds.

The fraudster also sent fake photos and fabricated information to support his claims and continuously pleaded for financial assistance. Over time, Amit manipulated the complainant into believing that the family’s lives depended on his help. As the months passed, Amit’s requests became more urgent and elaborate. He alleged that his family's land, which members of other communities held, could not be sold despite the intervention of local authorities, including a police inspector and an ACP. He went so far as to claim that a person had been killed in a communal riot because the complainant did not provide financial assistance on time.

The scam came to light when the doctor's son discovered the gold loan and alerted the cyber police. Upon receiving the complaint, the Cyber Crime Police Station launched an investigation. According to the inspector, the investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to trace the financial transactions and gather evidence to apprehend the culprit.