Facebook friend dupes Rourkela man of Rs 35 lakh
ROURKELA: An employee of Rourkela Steel Plant has been duped of around Rs 35 lakh by one of his social media friends, who identified herself as a doctor in Senegal. The matter came to light on Thursday after the cyber police station registered a case while acting on his complaint.
Sources said Birendra (name changed), got a friend request on Facebook in May from a girl, who called herself Dr Betty Wilson.
She claimed she was a member of Doctors Without Borders and was working in Senegal.
During the course of their interaction, Betty asked Birendra for his email id. In his FIR at Cyber police station, Birendra said Betty asked him to convert US$6,60,000 into Indian currency for which he would get a 40% commission.
Overcome by greed, Birendra agreed to the proposal and as asked by Betty, started sending her documents and money. From June to September, he deposited money totalling around Rs 34,64,949 in two bank accounts (DBSS Bank and AU Small Finance Bank). Since the last deposit, he did not hear from the woman. “Based on the FIR, we have registered a case,” said Serofina Xess, inspector in-charge, Cyber Police Station, Rourkela.