Mumbai businessman loses ₹5.7 crore in elaborate share market scam involving WhatsApp and online trading platforms | Representative Image
Mumbai: A 75-year-old businessman lost Rs 1.02 lakh in a scam involving fake bookings for Mahakumbh Mela cottages and flights. He searched for the Mahakumbh site on Google and came across a fraudulent website, www.Mahakumbhcottagereservation.org.
Through the site, he booked a tent and flight tickets but later discovered it was a scam. The Versova police have registered a case against an unidentified individual for alleged cheating after the elderly man filed a complaint on January 5.
According to the FIR, the complainant, Sudesh Bhatia, resides in Seven Bungalows, Versova, and operates a pharmaceutical factory. He, his wife, and his daughter had planned to attend the Mahakumbh Mela on January 24 and 25. On January 18, while browsing the internet for online bookings, Bhatia found a fraudulent website and contacted the number listed there.
The accused spoke with Bhatia over the phone and shared booking details for a tent accommodation for three people, quoting Rs 14,000. Bhatia promptly transferred the amount to the accused’s IndusInd Bank account via RTGS and received a payment receipt.
Afterwards, the accused asked Bhatia about flight bookings. Bhatia informed the accused that he needed three return flight tickets from Mumbai to Prayagraj. The accused quoted Rs 88,786 for the tickets, which Bhatia agreed to pay. He asked his son to transfer the amount, and the next day, his son transferred the money from his HDFC Bank account to the account details provided by the accused.
The accused sent a ticket confirmation receipt, but when Bhatia asked for the actual tickets, the accused began avoiding him and gave vague answers. He claimed it would take 72 hours to generate the tickets, but eventually, his phone numbers were switched off. At this point, Bhatia realised he had been scammed. By then, he had lost a total of Rs 1.02 lakh and decided to approach the police.
The police have registered a case under Section 318 (4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant section of the Information Technology Act. Investigations are ongoing.
