Mangaluru woman loses Rs 7.10 lakh to online scam

A woman in Mangaluru was tricked in an online gift scam and lost Rs 7.10 lakh. The scammer pretended to be a doctor and claimed he had sent her valuable gifts. The scam began when the woman received a message on Facebook from someone calling himself Dr. Tushar Patel. He said he was a neurologist from the University of Miami and shared personal details about himself. Soon, he began messaging her on WhatsApp, addressing her as "Dear sister" and expressing his interest in her. He told her he had sent a package containing expensive items, including gold, diamonds, and cash. The woman was informed that the package had arrived at the airport and that she needed to pay a security deposit. Later, callers said she also needed to pay money laundering charges. Believing them, the woman transferred money through various accounts amounting to Rs 7.10 lakh. Several transactions were made to different named bank accounts. A case has been filed with the Mangaluru South police for investigation.