The world of cryptocurrencies has always been shrouded in mystery and intrigue. But when this enigmatic market is combined with the evergreen quest for love, the results can be nothing short of disastrous.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to a retired Mumbai woman who was recently duped by a crypto conman on a matrimonial website.
According to reports, the scammer stole an astounding Rs. 24 lakh from her! This unfortunate incident highlights yet again how important it is to stay vigilant against such fraudsters in today’s digital age.
Join us as we uncover all the details about this heartbreaking case and learn how you can avoid falling victim to similar scams yourself!
The Scammer
A 79-year-old retired woman, residing in Mumbai, was duped of Rs. 1 lakh by a crypto conman who posed as a prospective groom on a matrimonial website.
The scammer convinced the victim to invest in his cryptocurrency project, claiming that it would yield high returns.
However, when she tried to withdraw her money, the scammer disappeared with her money. The victim has since lodged a complaint with the police.
According to reports, the scammers typically pose as potential grooms on matrimonial websites in order to gain access to their victims’ personal information.
Once they have this information, they are able to steal large sums of money from their victims.
In this case, the crypto conman deceived the elderly woman by making strong emotional appeals and promising high returns on her investment.
He also used convincing language to make her feel like she was in a relationship with him.
Once he had gained control over the victim’s trust and confidence, the scammer was able to rob her of Rs. 1 lakh without any consequences.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that this type of scam has been reported from India. In January 2019, two women were duped of Rs 5 crore each by an online fraudster posing as an insurance agent.[1]
The Victim
A retired Mumbai woman, who was looking for a match through an online matrimonial website, fell prey to a crypto conman, who duped her of Rs. 1 lakhs.
The woman, in her 60s, had met the fraudster on the website and they had started communicating through emails.
The man claimed to be a wealthy business owner from Dubai and said that he wanted to marry her. Initially, the victim was happy to agree to his proposals but soon realized that he was not what he claimed to be.
The scammer then demanded more money from her and even threatened her with dire consequences if she did not comply. Finally, after paying him Rs. 1 lakhs, the victim got scammed again when the man disappeared without any trace.
The Scheme
A 54-year-old retired woman from Mumbai was duped by a crypto conman on a matrimonial website and ended up losing Rs. 1 lakh, according to a report in the Indian Express.
The man, identified as Suresh Vode, allegedly posed as an eligible bachelor and won the woman’s heart over with his good looks and eloquent conversation.
He then persuaded her to invest in digital assets, promising high returns. However, when the woman tried to withdraw her money, Vode refused to give her the funds citing technical issues.
The victim then approached the police who filed a complaint against him. In his confession, Vode claimed that he had duped many other women on similar websites and made away with millions of rupees.
The Consequence
A retired Mumbai woman was duped by a cryptocurrency conman on a matrimonial website, who stole her Rs. 1 lakh by posing as a potential groom.
The victim, identified only as Seema, used the online platform to seek married life partners and met Prakash, a 39-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh.
The duo exchanged phone numbers and started talking regularly. On January 10, Seema transferred Rs. 1 lakh to Prakash’s account through an online transfer service.
However, after she didn’t hear from him for few days, she contacted the site’s customer care and was informed that the money had been transferred to his account but he had already left for India.
After tracing his location through his phone number, Seema reached Prakash’s house in Gorakhpur on January 18 and found out that he was not actually interested in marrying her and had stolen her money instead.
She filed a complaint with the police and obtained a court order against Prakash restraining him from leaving the country until the case is resolved.
How to Protect Yourself from Cryptocurrency Scams
Cryptocurrencies are undoubtedly generating a lot of interest, with their rising prices and the possible financial opportunities they present.
However, as with any new investment, it is important to be aware of cryptocurrency scams, which can take many forms.
One common scam involves someone posing as a legitimate businessman or investor who wants to help you make money from cryptocurrencies.
They may offer to sell you coins at a high price, tell you that you need to invest quickly in order to make big profits, or even ask for your personal financial information. be very careful about anyone asking for your personal information online – if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Another common scam involves people posing as developers or other experts who want to help you get started with cryptocurrencies. They may promise high returns on your initial investment, or tell you that you need to buy coins at a high price in order to make real profits. Again, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Finally, always remember that cryptocurrencies are not backed by anything tangible – so there is no guarantee of any kind of return on your investment. If something feels too good to be true, it probably is.