Cuttack: A college girl from Bhadrak approached the Crime Branch (CB) authorities here Saturday alleging that she had lost Rs 3 lakh to a lottery scam.
The victim, a Plus II second year student of a college at Mir Sahi in Bhadrak district, claimed that she had received a phone call last April 14 informing her that she was the winner of Rs 25 lakh lottery.
“The scamster claimed that my mobile number had won the prize and to claim the amount I need to register for the same by paying Rs 18, 500,” the victim said in her complaint.
Unable to sense the scam, the girl thought she was going to pocket the huge amount. Initially she deposited Rs 18, 500 April 17 and Rs 48,000 April 22 with the bank account whose details were shared by the scamster.
“Later, the fraudster asked me to deposit more amounts on flimsy grounds following which I deposited around Rs 3 lakh with the same bank account on several occasions,” the victim claimed, adding that after receiving the amount the cheat was unreachable.
Left with no option, the girl lodged a complaint with CB sleuths who claimed to have launched an investigation.
When asked, a senior CB officer said such frauds are handiworks of cyber offenders, mostly from outside the state. “Such frauds are also known as advance fee fraud, Nigerian fraud and 419 frauds. The fraudsters usually lure their targets via phone call, messaging and e-mails. Earlier, a student from Baripada had lost Rs 5 lakh to such fraud. The girl had submitted some counterfoils of bank deposits. We are verifying the bank account details where the girl had deposited the amount,” the officer said, adding the accused will soon be behind bars.
