Udupi: A medical practitioner from Handadi near Brahmavar was duped by a Facebook friend, who claimed to be a lady practising medicine in London, UK, to the tune of around Rs 2 lakhs.
The doctor, identified as Praveen Kumar, has filed an FIR in this regard with the cyber crime, economic offences and narcotics (CEN) police station here.
According to the doctor, the accused, going by the name Dr Camilla Gampi, sent him a friend request on Facebook, which he accepted. On April 30, Dr Gampi called him over the phone and said that she was stuck at a Delhi Airport due to objections raised by the customs officials. She claimed that she only had Pound Sterling in her possession and that the customs officials were not accepting them. The woman then told Dr Kumar that she was in need of Rs 2 lakhs and asked him to pay the customs duty.
Believing her, Dr Kumar immediately transferred Rs 50,000 through the Syndicate Bank’s mobile app and the balance of Rs 1,41,700 by RTGS. Later, when he tried to contact her, Dr Gampi’s phone was found to be switched off.
Realising that he had been taken for a ride, Dr Kumar approached the Udupi CEN police, who are now investigating the case.
