Over ₹3 Crore Lost in Three Online Fraud Cases in Mangaluru

Over ₹3 Crore Lost in Three Online Fraud Cases in Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 6, 2025: In a span of just a few weeks, Mangaluru has witnessed three major online fraud cases, with victims losing over ₹3 crore in total to cybercriminals.

In the biggest of the three cases, a homemaker lost ₹3.16 crore after being manipulated and threatened over 20 days in June. The victim told the Mangaluru City Cybercrime, Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) police that she received a call on June 5 from a person claiming to be an official with the National Crime Records Bureau. The caller alleged that her husband had purchased a SIM card and was involved in fraudulent activities, including sending suspicious links.

The call was transferred to others posing as police inspector ‘Mohan Kumar’ and ‘Public Prosecutor Deepak Venkataramana’, who extracted her personal and banking details. Under pressure and fearing her husband’s arrest, she transferred ₹3.16 crore in multiple transactions between June 10 and 27. She later informed her children after the calls ceased. A case has been registered by the CEN police.

In another case, a resident in the Mangaluru Rural police limits lost ₹6.5 lakh to an ‘online task’ fraud. He was offered a part-time work-from-home job via WhatsApp and was initially paid small amounts for completing tasks. He was later asked to pay larger sums to unlock higher-value tasks. The victim made payments on June 25 and 26, only to realise he had been duped.

In a third incident, a medical professional in the Kankanady Town police station limits was defrauded of ₹4.2 lakh in a fake job scam involving a hospital in Dubai. Between June 6 and 17, the victim paid money for various charges such as registration, verification, and licensing after being contacted by a woman named Sangeetha. When a further demand of ₹2.62 lakh was made, the victim became suspicious and approached the police.

All three cases are under investigation. Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and verify any suspicious calls or job offers.