A 34-year-old disabled woman who was abandoned by her husband thought she’d have better luck looking for a life partner on Facebook. But all she got out of it was a week of romance with a fraud
Leena Kharat (left) is now homeless after being duped by her suitor, Blaine Ambrose
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A 34-year-old disabled woman who was abandoned by her husband thought she’d have better luck looking for a life partner on Facebook. But all she got out of it was a week of romance with a fraud who first promised to marry her and then duped her of Rs 3.83 lakh.
Kalyan resident Leena Kharat had faced the worst luck since childhood, when a bout of polio left her unable to walk. She eventually got married but her husband left her two years ago, and she was forced to return to her father’s house in Kalyan.
No luck
Fed up, Kharat decided she was going to take control of her life and turn it around. So, she began to search for love on Facebook and, in April, stumbled upon a man called Blaine Ambrose, who claimed he was a UK national. Within a week, Ambrose proposed marriage and promised to leave the UK and settle in Mumbai with her. He also said he was going to send her gold and diamond jewellery. But there was a condition — she would have to pay the custom duty.
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“Ambrose assured that he would marry me and on April 19, he told me that he was sending me a gift of diamond and gold jewellery by courier. He claimed that I just had to pay R50,000 as custom duty, as the ornaments were worth £45,000. The next day, I received a call from a woman who said she was a customs officer by the name of Anita Sharma. She asked me to transfer Rs 50,000 to an account number, which I did,” said Kharat. But it didn’t end there. She continued to get calls from the woman asking for more money under different pretexts.
Greed for gold
Ironically, Kharat was so excited about getting the new jewellery, that she decided to sell the few ornaments she had, worth Rs 80,000. “Then I borrowed cash from my friends and relatives and also took loans. By April 27, I had paid a total of Rs 3.83 lakh in five parts. But then the caller began to threaten me, saying she would register a false case and have Ambrose and me arrested. By the time I realised I was being cheated, it was already too late,” recalled the victim, who found she could no longer get through to Ambrose either.
Read Story: Mumbai Crime: Facebook lover exploits married woman monetarily, sexually
Kharat alleged that even the Mahatma Phule police refused to help her or register a case initially. Finally, a week ago, she approached Deputy Commissioner of Police (Kalyan) Sanjay Shinde. “After DCP Shinde ordered them to investigate, the police registered a cheating case on October 14 and started the probe. But I think there is no hope of getting the cash back now,” she added.
Homeless now
After she frittered away all the money, Kharat’s father threw her out of the house. “I have been staying at my friend’s place since the last 45 days, as my father asked me to leave. The relatives and friends from whom I borrowed cash have also started harassing me for the money. I hope the police will help me to trace the accused and get the cash back,” she added.
Cop speak
Anil Pawar, senior police inspector at the Mahatma Phule police station, said such cases of fraud were not very uncommon. “We have informed the cyber cell department of Thane and the probe is being co-ordinated with them. We keep creating awareness among public to stay alert of such fraudsters, but people unknowingly get trapped,” he added.
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