Udupi: Caller impersonating friend cheats man of Rs 1 lakh in online fraud

Udupi: Caller impersonating friend cheats man of Rs 1 lakh in online fraud

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Jan 17, 2026: A case has been registered at the Udupi City Police Station regarding an online fraud in which ₹1 lakh was cheated by an unidentified person who called while impersonating a friend.

On January 15, an unknown person called Ashok, a resident of Kunjibettu, introducing himself as Sandeep. Since Ashok had earlier worked with a person named Sandeep, he assumed the caller was the same individual and continued the conversation. The caller claimed that his brother had been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru due to a heart ailment and that he had come to a medical shop to purchase a stent. He further said that his Google Pay was not working and he was unable to send money to the doctor, adding that he had already transferred ₹50,000 to Ashok.

When Ashok checked his mobile phone, he received a message indicating that ₹50,000 had been credited to his account. Believing this to be true, Ashok informed the caller and transferred the same amount back using his wife’s Google Pay account. While still on the call, the caller again claimed to have sent another ₹50,000. Ashok once again received a message stating that ₹50,000 had been credited, and he transferred the amount back through his wife’s Google Pay.

Later, when Ashok checked his bank balance, he found that no money had actually been credited to his account. He then contacted his friend Sandeep, who denied having made any such calls. Ashok has filed a complaint stating that an unidentified person impersonating his friend cheated him of ₹1 lakh through online fraud.