Cyber Fraud: 59 year old teacher loses Rs 2.3 crore in matrimonial app
Online frauds are on the rise, with victims losing money not only through cyber scams and online gaming but increasingly via matrimonial apps as well. A retired school teacher from Bengaluru has reportedly lost Rs 2.3 crore over four years after falling prey to a conman she met on a matrimonial website. She has filed a complaint with the police.
The 59-year-old woman, widowed several years ago, was living alone when she registered on a matrimonial website in 2019, hoping to find a new companion. There, she came into contact with a man named Ahaan Kumar, who claimed to be of Indian origin but an American citizen, working as a drilling engineer at Israel Oil Company in Atlanta.
He even provided documents showing his employment, though his photographs were not clearly identifiable. The retired teacher reportedly had no reason to doubt him.
Over time, their friendship turned romantic. Ahaan assured her that he intended to marry her, communicating with her daily via WhatsApp and claiming he would soon return to India. In 2020, he asked for financial help, citing delayed salary and lack of money for meals.
Trusting him, the woman transferred money to an account under the name Madhavi. Over the next four years, he continued to request money for hospital bills and other expenses, and she kept sending it.
By November 2024, exhausted by his repeated demands, she gradually stopped sending money. Ahaan, in turn, reduced contact until he eventually disappeared. After waiting for about a year for the return of her funds, she finally approached the police.
Authorities have registered a case under the IT Act and launched an investigation into the cyber fraud.
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