Scammer claiming to be embassy official from Washington DC, who had swindled Rs 2 lakh from doctor, caught on video call from a Mumbai auto-rickshaw
Representational Pic/mid-day
A scamster who was duping a 52-year-old woman doctor while posing as a high-ranking ‘United States embassy’ official residing in Washington, DC, unwittingly exposed his true identity after accidentally video-calling her while travelling in an auto rickshaw in Mumbai.
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According to the police, the complainant, a Juhu resident, met the accused, Shailesh Parekh, 55, via a matrimonial platform in 2010.
“After registering on the site, the doctor received a message on her mobile phone from the accused. Parekh then began sending good morning and good night messages daily, to which the complainant responded. As they kept conversing, he claimed that he was a resident of Mumbai and owned a flat in Juhu but was living in Washington, DC, where he worked,” a police officer said.
“Eventually, he expressed his desire to marry the doctor. However, she turned down the proposal,” the officer added.
Over time, Parekh gained the complainant’s trust, assuring her that he could use his influence to help her obtain a US visa. With the help of an accomplice, he allegedly duped her of Rs 2 lakh.
“The doctor had applied for a US visa in November 2024 to attend the convocation ceremony of her nephew, who was pursuing an MBBS degree. However, she was facing difficulties with the visa process and was unsure about how to proceed. At that moment, she remembered Parekh and reached out to him for help,” said an official.
“Parekh assured the doctor that he would assist her and shared the mobile number of a woman named Beena Parikh, who, he claimed, would help her obtain a visa,” said an officer.
Parikh asked the doctor to transfer money via PhonePe for the visa process. Since the doctor did not have the digital payment app on her mobile, she first downloaded it. Between December 21, 2024, and February 15, 2025, Parikh repeatedly demanded money for visa processing on different occasions. She also told the doctor that since the government had changed in the US and Donald Trump had become president again, visa processing fees had increased.
“The scam came to light on February 15 when the doctor accidentally received a video call from Parekh’s phone. It is believed that he was unaware of the call being placed. When the doctor answered, she was shocked to see the man who had claimed he was in the US in an auto rickshaw in Mumbai,” the officer said.
Realising she had been deceived, the doctor immediately lodged a written complaint at the Juhu police station.
“Based on the complaint, we have registered a case against Parekh and Beena Parikh under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation is underway,” said another officer.
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