Nagpur woman loses Rs 16 lakh on social media romance scam

Nagpur: A 55-year-old woman from Nagpur was conned of Rs 16 lakh by a cyber fraudster who posed as her online boyfriend — a man claiming to be an American national — on social media. The case highlights the growing threat of romance scams that prey on emotional vulnerability and trust.The scam began on a social media handle, where the fraudster reached out to the woman, complimented her profile, and quickly developed a rapport. Posing as a wealthy, charming man from the US, he promised to visit her in India and claimed to be sending her a gift package that included an expensive necklace."He built a false sense of intimacy and emotional trust, convincing her that this was a genuine relationship," said Baliram Sutar, senior inspector of the Cyber Cell. "He even sent photos of the supposed gift and fake courier tracking details to make it all look real."Soon after, the woman began receiving messages claiming that the parcel was stuck at customs and that she needed to pay several fees — GST, customs duties, and other taxes — to get it cleared. Trusting her online ‘boyfriend', she transferred Rs 16 lakh over multiple transactions, believing she would soon receive both the gift and a personal visit."The fraudster used emotional manipulation along with fabricated documents to make the whole process appear legitimate," Sutar explained. "It's a classic romance scam, where emotional connection is exploited for financial gain."The woman eventually grew suspicious and approached the cybercrime cell, which launched an immediate investigation. Authorities traced the payments to an Indian bank account held by a Non-Resident Indian (NRI). Further tracking revealed that the funds were being withdrawn internationally from Dubai."This was a well-planned operation using Indian banking channels — including branches of Bank of India and State Bank of India — with links to overseas accounts," Sutar said.Thanks to swift action by the cybercrime team, the bank account was blocked before the remaining funds could be drained. A portion of the money was successfully recovered and returned to the complainant."Time is of the essence in such cases," Sutar noted. "Once the money is withdrawn from ATMs, it's nearly impossible to recover it. But if funds are still in the account, they can be blocked and returned if reported quickly."Officials are urging citizens, especially women using social media, to remain cautious about online relationships and to avoid sending money to people they have never met in person.