Pune Man Loses Rs 11 Lakh in Online Pregnancy Advertisement Scam: A Warning About Digital Fraud

A Pune contractor discovered he had fallen victim to a scam after communication with cybercriminals suddenly ceased.

A man from Pune lost Rs 11 lakh after responding to an online advertisement purportedly from a woman seeking someone to impregnate her. The contractor spotted the advertisement stating, "Looking for a man who can make me pregnant," and believing it to be genuine, he initiated contact.

After establishing communication, he was systematically asked to pay various fees. According to officials, these included charges labeled as 'initial fees, membership fees, privacy fees,' and numerous other costs. The scammers repeatedly insisted that the "work" would not proceed until he transferred the requested amounts.

Eventually, the man transferred a total of Rs 11 lakh to the fraudsters. It was only when they stopped responding that he realized he had been swindled, prompting him to file a police complaint.

Officials have launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators behind this scam in order to take appropriate legal action. They have also issued warnings to the public about the dangers of responding to such suspicious advertisements.

Authorities have been actively cautioning people against falling victim to 'digital arrest' scams as well. These involve fraudsters claiming that the victim's identification has been linked to criminal activity, followed by threats of legal consequences unless substantial sums of money are paid.

A recent case involved a 78-year-old retired Central government employee in Hyderabad who was defrauded of Rs 51 lakh. The scammer, impersonating an assistant commissioner of police from Mumbai, claimed that the pensioner's SIM card had been used in bomb blast and kidnapping cases.

The elderly victim was instructed to transfer 95% of his funds to "protect" himself from the fabricated case and was warned against discussing the matter with anyone while it remained "pending." He was falsely assured that his money would be returned.

In another similar incident earlier this month, a 73-year-old Hyderabad woman lost Rs 1.43 crore to the same type of scam.