Elderly man duped of Rs 1 lakh by cyber fraudsters on promise of booking flight to Prayagraj

Mumbai: The Mumbai police have registered a case against an unidentified person for allegedly duping a senior citizen to the tune of Rs 1 lakh on the pretext of booking a flight ticket to Prayagraj for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, an official said on Tuesday.

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 will begin on January 13 and is set to conclude on February 26.

“The senior citizen, who is a businessman from Andheri, wished to attend the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. While searching for booking options online, he came across a website. He called the number mentioned there and told the person about his travel requirements,” a Versova police station official said.

The fraudsters asked him to pay Rs 14,000 for the accommodation arrangements for three people. Believing the offer, the victim transferred the amount. Soon afterwards, the scammers asked if the complainant wanted flight tickets from Mumbai to Prayagraj and back, he said.

They quoted an additional Rs 87,000 for flight bookings. Trusting them again, the victim’s son transferred the money online. However, they did not give the flight tickets to the victims, he said.

Realising that they have been duped, the complainant approached the police and filed a complaint. The police have registered a case against unidentified persons and are investigating the matter, an official added.