02 February,2024 08:11 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
The Thane Police in Maharashtra have registered a case after a man alleged that he was cheated of Rs 20 lakh by a man who promised to help him set up a hospital, an official said on Friday, reported the PTI.
According to the police, the complainant, a 38-year-old electrician, a resident of Badlapur East, told the police that the suspect approached him in 2021 with a proposal to set up a hospital as the medical infrastructure was stressed then due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as per the PTI.
He allegedly promised to facilitate a loan of Rs 25 crore from a trust for the hospital project. On the pretext of the processing fee, he collected Rs 20 lakh from the victim, who sold his flat to raise the money, the official said citing the FIR, according to the PTI.
When the promised loan was never secured, and the accused failed to return his Rs 20 lakh despite follow-ups, the complainant approached the police. The suspect was then booked for cheating, the official said.
Meanwhile in an another incident, a computer technician from Thane district in Maharashtra lost Rs 17.33 lakh in an online 'task' fraud, an officials said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.
The computer technician has become the latest victim of an online fraud wherein fraudsters lured him with the promise to earn quick money by rating some tasks and investing in bitcoins, a police official said, as per the PTI.
The victim, a resident of Dombivali township, lost Rs 17.33 lakh in the fraud from December 8, 2023, to January 9.
"The victim was approached with offers to earn big money through social media platforms. He was promised huge returns simply by rating certain online tasks and investing in bitcoins. The victim invested Rs 17.33 lakh over a month. He failed to receive any returns and his investment was also blocked," the official said, according to the PTI.
The "online task fraud" typically involves trapping victims by making them perform tasks like liking videos etc. and making small payments initially to win their trust.
The victims were later lured to invest money to earn big returns.
A case was registered under the Information Technology Act and further investigation is underway, the official added.
(with PTI inputs)
