Beware of online pickpocketing

Sonia (name is changed), a resident of South Delhi has lost Rs. 14 lakh on a fake lottery offer that she got as SMS on the New Year Eve claiming she had won 1 million pounds. She received lot of emails and calls from Mumbai, Delhi and UK following this.

The mistake in fact blunder committed by her is that she readily provided all the details that she was asked to. Then they asked her to pay Rs. 32,000 as the first installment that was considered clearance fee. This amount though big was just the beginning of it.

She realized that she had been been cheated only after depositing about Rs. 14 lakh in several accounts across India. Sonia was working in UAE as PR executive with a MNC and returned to India last year. She has spent all her savings, FDs and also her parents' money in this fraud.

Even after falling short of money, she had taken a bank loan to pay these fraudsters. She had finally realized that she was duped only after approaching the Reserve Bank of India. She has now sought the crime branch's help. A case has been registered under the IPC Section 420.

A senior cop claims that, people must understand that they cannot win 1 million pounds in any lottery just sitting in their home. These messages and mails must be ignored or brought to the notice of the crime branch. It is not recommended to reveal any personal details to the strangers who use internet to cheat the public.