Fraudster poses as doctor online, dupes patient's kin of Rs 27,600 in Pune

Photo for representational purpose

An online fraudster impersonated a doctor and duped the family member of a woman, who recently delivered twins at a hospital in Pune, of Rs 27,600 under the pretext of prescribing injections to her babies.

The woman's relative has lodged a first information report (FIR) in this case at Samarth police station.

According to police, the woman recently gave birth to twins and the complainant had visited her at the hospital. On January 19, the complainant received a call from a person who claimed to be a doctor at the hospital where the woman was admitted. The impersonator said that the twins were prematurely born and needed to be administered certain injections for the proper functioning of their lungs. The accused then asked the complainant to send him money for buying the medication, stated a report in The Indian Express.

Subsequently, the woman's relative made a payment of Rs 26,700 through digital payment application Google Pay. Later, when he realised that it was a fraudulent call, he filed a police complaint. Police have booked the online fraudster under IPC section 420 and relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Police inspector Ulhad Kadam of Samarth police station said, "We suspect that there are people who manage to get the contact numbers of patients admitted at hospitals, or their relative, and then cheat them in such a manner. Further probe is on."