BHUBANESWAR: Friendship with a stranger on Facebook has cost a 43-year-old woman from Khandagiri dear. After befriending her on the popular social media platform, the man allegedly took Rs 15 lakh from her, assuring to double her money in a year.
The duped woman lodged a complaint with the Khandagiri police here on Sunday. The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC and started investigation.
In her complaint the woman, who stays in an upscale apartment,, said the man, who introduced himself as James Alia Brighton (45) from Delhi, had sent her a friend request on Facebook last year. She accepted the stranger’s request, and they started chatting for several months.
“Their friendship turned so intimate that the woman used to make videocalls to him from her bathroom. To win her confidence, he kept on sending money to her account. In August, the man reached Bhubaneswar and called the woman to a hotel for a meeting. She agreed and met her Facebook friend,” an officer of Khandagiri police station said.
She alleged that four other men also accompanied him at the hotel. During the meeting, James insisted her to invest in their company, which wants to foray into hotel construction business in Odisha.
“Without verifying their credentials, she decided to invest. In her complaint, the woman claimed she had taken a loan, sold her ornaments and arranged Rs 15.40 lakh. She claimed to have handed over the cash to James, who assured her to refund Rs 30 lakh within a year,” the officer said.
She realised about the alleged fraud when James changed his phone number and became inactive on Facebook after some days. The woman also wrote in her FIR that James had threatened to make her bathroom video viral on social media.
The woman refused to comment. Police said her allegations are being verified. “We will try to locate the suspect. Her Facebook chats will be examined. Her claim of Rs 15.40 lakh cash being given to the suspect will be verified,” the police officer said.
The duped woman lodged a complaint with the Khandagiri police here on Sunday. The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC and started investigation.
In her complaint the woman, who stays in an upscale apartment,, said the man, who introduced himself as James Alia Brighton (45) from Delhi, had sent her a friend request on Facebook last year. She accepted the stranger’s request, and they started chatting for several months.
“Their friendship turned so intimate that the woman used to make videocalls to him from her bathroom. To win her confidence, he kept on sending money to her account. In August, the man reached Bhubaneswar and called the woman to a hotel for a meeting. She agreed and met her Facebook friend,” an officer of Khandagiri police station said.
She alleged that four other men also accompanied him at the hotel. During the meeting, James insisted her to invest in their company, which wants to foray into hotel construction business in Odisha.
“Without verifying their credentials, she decided to invest. In her complaint, the woman claimed she had taken a loan, sold her ornaments and arranged Rs 15.40 lakh. She claimed to have handed over the cash to James, who assured her to refund Rs 30 lakh within a year,” the officer said.
She realised about the alleged fraud when James changed his phone number and became inactive on Facebook after some days. The woman also wrote in her FIR that James had threatened to make her bathroom video viral on social media.
The woman refused to comment. Police said her allegations are being verified. “We will try to locate the suspect. Her Facebook chats will be examined. Her claim of Rs 15.40 lakh cash being given to the suspect will be verified,” the police officer said.
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