The victim, Priya, was tricked by a fake astrologer on Instagram who offered marriage-related rituals.
The fraudster threatened self-harm when Priya asked for a refund, further manipulating her.
Police are investigating the case under charges of cheating and online fraud.
A woman from Bengaluru lost about Rs 6 lakh after falling victim to an Instagram astrology scam. The victim, a 24-year-old girl named Priya, was looking for an astrologer for marriage advice when she was duped into paying a large sum under the guise of astrological rituals and pujas.
SurveyThe victim, who lives in Electronics City and works for a private firm, discovered an Instagram profile called ‘splno1indianastrologer,’ which impersonated an Aghori baba and claimed to specialize in astrology. Curious about her future, Priya started the conversation and was later contacted by a man named Vijay Kumar.
Soon after Priya shared her personal information, including her birth date, Kumar reportedly stated that her horoscope indicated potential problems in her marriage and offered to perform pujas to resolve the issues. He requested a small sum of Rs 1,820, which Priya paid through a digital payment platform without suspicion.
Furthermore, the scammers repeatedly requested money to perform additional rituals required for her well-being and a happy married life. In total, Priya transferred approximately Rs 6 lakh.
The scam unfolded when Priya requested her money back. According to the reports, Kumar also gave back some of the money, but he threatened to hurt himself and blame her for his suicide if she continued to demand a refund. Furthermore, the victim received calls from a man named Prashant, who claimed to be Kumar’s lawyer and further manipulated Priya by claiming that Kumar was about to commit suicide due to financial pressure.
Soon after, the victim went to the authorities and filed a case under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 of the IPC for cheating. The matter is currently being investigated. However, no arrests have been made yet.
To stay safe, social media users should be cautious of unsolicited online offers and individuals claiming to provide quick fixes to complex life situations.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
