Udupi: SMS Lottery Fraud: In Hopes of Making Crores, Man Loses Lacs
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Sep 27: In yet another case of SMS fraud, in a much bigger scale this time, a resident of Malpe lost Rs 16,92,000, while trying to get hold of a multi-crore rupees raffle prize amount, announced through a message received on his mobile phone.
Prakash could have lost more, had he doggedly followed the baits laid out by the fraudsters. In a complaint filed at Malpe police station, he revealed that he had lost all the savings and assets earned by working abroad, after being enticed by the desire to make big bucks. Prakash is one among thousands who have become victims of the rackets run by cheats who scout internet and mobile phones for gullible victims.
On July 4, Prakash received a message announcing a bumper prize of GBP 7,00,000 (around Rs 5.4 crore) in Irish Raffle lucky draw. Three persons, identified as Mike John, Peter Goodluck, and Dr Stag Mourice, collected detailed information from him over the following days, and started instructing him to remit various amounts to different bank accounts like fee towards foreign exchange, terrorist fund contribution, etc. After remitting money through different banks, he tried to contact the concerned through emails and phone calls, but in vain.
In another message purported to have been sent by Peter Goodluck of Mike John Group, he remitted Rs 37,000 to an account in the name of Inderjeet Lalwani, through ICICI Bank, Udupi. A subsequent email instructed him to deposit Rs 65 lac towards income tax. Prakash, who had lost Rs 16,92,000 by then, realizing that he had got caught in a web laid out by fraudsters, approached the police.
Police have begun investigations. It may be recalled that Dr Krishna from here had lost about Rs 40 lac in this way in the year 2009. Many people, feeling embarrassed at admitting their blunder, do not register any official complaint. The policemen have requested the people to be vigilant against rackets being run by money swindlers like the above.