VIJAYAWADA: A couple from Auto Nagar here, who wanted to tide over their financial difficulties by selling a kidney, fell prey to cyber fraudsters and were duped of Rs 16.61 lakh. The couple transferred the amount in 24 transactions, believing the words of the fraudsters who said it was required as processing fee and other charges.
Though the transactions were made in November last, the couple realised only later that they were cheated, and lodged a complaint at the Penamaluru police station on Saturday. The case was referred to the Cyber Crime police station on Sunday, and an investigation is on.
According to Penamaluru police inspector M Satyanarayana, the couple — V Venkata Prasad, 40, and N Bhargavi, 34 — along with some others, started a pharmacy three years ago by pledging gold and borrowing money. They incurred huge losses, and decided to shut the business in 2019. As the financiers mounted pressure on them to repay the loans, the duo reportedly sold a piece of land in their native village and cleared the debts partially.
Bhargavi came across an online advertisement about ‘kidney donation’, and after discussing it with Prasad, decided to donate a kidney to clear their debts and help start another business.Bhargavi then sent a message to the numbers mentioned in the advertisement. She was contacted by a person who identified himself as Chopra Singh, a Delhi-based doctor, who promised to give them Rs 2 crore for the kidney.
Enticed by the offer, the couple submitted the identification proof Chopra Singh sought. “Later, she got a call asking her to pay an initial amount of Rs 10,000 to register with the National Kidney Foundation. The fraudster later made the couple pay Rs 12 lakh more, saying it was the processing fee and other charges. He promised to call them to Delhi after finding a recipient for the kidney,” said Satyanarayana.
The couple reportedly took loans to pay the fraudster in the hope that they would get the promised Rs 2 crore. After waiting for a few months, as there was no response, the couple grew suspicious and contacted the ‘doctor’ and told him they decided not to donate the kidney.“The accused then collected Rs 4 lakh more, saying it was needed to cancel their membership. When he failed to answer their phone calls after they paid the money, the couple approached us and lodged a complaint. We have referred the case to the Cyber Crime police,” the inspector added.
When contacted, Cyber Crime inspector K Srinivas said a communication was sent to all banks to which the couple transferred the money. “They made transactions from November 2019, and the accused withdrew all the money deposited. We are trying to reach the bank officials to trace the accused,” Srinivas said.Cases were registered under Section 420 (Cheating) of the IPC and relevant sections of IT Act, and an investigation is on.
Hoped to get Rs 2 crore in return for kidney
The couple reportedly took loans to pay the fraudster in the hope that they would get the promised Rs 2 crore. As there was no response, they said they decided not to donate the kidney. The ‘doctor’ then collected Rs 4 lakh more, saying it was needed to cancel their membership