Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Senior Citizen Duped in ₹24 Lakh Fake UK Gift Scam
A 61-year-old woman was allegedly tricked by a group of scammers.
One scammer met her through Facebook and pretended to be a businessman from the United Kingdom.
He said he would send her gifts.
Other scammers then called her while pretending to work for a courier company and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
They told her she had to pay several fees before receiving the gifts.
She sent them more than ₹24 lakh through several online payments.
When no gifts arrived, she realized she had been deceived.
Police in Mumbai have started investigating the case.
A 61-year-old retired state government official from Nagpur was allegedly cheated of more than ₹24 lakh.
The scammers first befriended the woman on Facebook and claimed to be a UK businessman.
They later posed as courier company and Central Bureau of Investigation officials.
The victim was persuaded to pay airway, customs, gold registration, currency conversion and federal charges.
Mumbai cyber police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act.
- Who
- A 61-year-old retired state government official from Nagpur was allegedly targeted by a group of scammers.
- What
- She was allegedly defrauded of more than ₹24 lakh in a fake UK gift and courier scheme.
- When
- The report was dated September 7, 2026; the fraud occurred over several months.
- Where
- The victim was from Nagpur, while the case was registered by cyber police in Mumbai.
- Why
- The scammers allegedly demanded multiple fees by falsely claiming they were needed to release gifts sent from the UK.
- Victim
- 61-year-old retired state government official
- Reported loss
- More than ₹24 lakh
- Initial contact
- Facebook friend request
- False identities
- UK businessman, courier company official and CBI officer
- Payment demands
- Airway, customs, gold registration, currency conversion and federal charges
- Police action
- Mumbai cyber police initiated an investigation and registered a case
- Legal provisions
- Sections 318 and 338 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act