Pune Woman Loses Rs 1.19 Lakh After Instagram Saree Purchase Turns Into Cyber Fraud
A saree purchase that appeared to cost just Rs 1,500 turned into a costly cyber fraud for a 27-year-old IT professional in Pune, after an Instagram shopping account allegedly drew her into a series of payments.
The woman ended up transferring Rs 1,19,209 through 13 online transactions within two hours on September 29. She realised something was wrong only after the people behind the account demanded another payment in the name of GST.
She then contacted the sellers through the WhatsApp number provided with the Instagram reel. The people on the other end shared bank account details and instructed her to transfer the payment for the saree.
After she made the initial payment, the fraudsters claimed there was a technical problem. They asked her to send another Rs 40, assuring her that the additional amount would be refunded.
Between 6 pm and 8 pm on September 29, she transferred a total of Rs 1,19,209 to several bank accounts. The money was sent through 13 separate online transactions, turning what began as a small online shopping purchase into a major financial loss.
The demands did not stop there. The people operating the accounts subsequently told her that she needed to pay another Rs 16,706 as GST.
That demand raised suspicion, and the woman realised that she had likely fallen victim to an Instagram scam rather than dealing with a legitimate seller. She then approached the police and lodged a complaint at the Hinjewadi police station in Pimpri Chinchwad.
Investigators are now examining the digital trail linked to the case. Mobile numbers, bank accounts and the Instagram accounts allegedly used to carry out the fraud are being traced as part of the investigation.
The case highlights how fake online shopping profiles can be used to move victims from a social media platform to private messaging before seeking repeated payments. A seemingly routine purchase can quickly become an online shopping fraud when sellers begin demanding additional transfers on the pretext of technical issues, refunds, taxes or other charges.
The woman ended up transferring Rs 1,19,209 through 13 online transactions within two hours on September 29. She realised something was wrong only after the people behind the account demanded another payment in the name of GST.
A Rs 1,500 saree order takes an unexpected turn
The woman came across reels promoting sarees on two Instagram accounts, “manish_saree” and “manish_saree_9”, on September 29. Assuming the accounts belonged to a genuine garment business, she looked through the products and selected a saree priced at Rs 1,500.She then contacted the sellers through the WhatsApp number provided with the Instagram reel. The people on the other end shared bank account details and instructed her to transfer the payment for the saree.
After she made the initial payment, the fraudsters claimed there was a technical problem. They asked her to send another Rs 40, assuring her that the additional amount would be refunded.
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Repeated payment demands lead to Rs 1.19 lakh loss
The woman made the second payment, but the promised refund did not arrive. Instead, the alleged fraudsters continued giving different reasons for requesting more money and repeatedly assured her that the amounts would be returned.Between 6 pm and 8 pm on September 29, she transferred a total of Rs 1,19,209 to several bank accounts. The money was sent through 13 separate online transactions, turning what began as a small online shopping purchase into a major financial loss.
The demands did not stop there. The people operating the accounts subsequently told her that she needed to pay another Rs 16,706 as GST.
That demand raised suspicion, and the woman realised that she had likely fallen victim to an Instagram scam rather than dealing with a legitimate seller. She then approached the police and lodged a complaint at the Hinjewadi police station in Pimpri Chinchwad.
Police trace digital trail in the cyber fraud case
An FIR has been registered against the unidentified accused under Sections 318(4), 316(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.Investigators are now examining the digital trail linked to the case. Mobile numbers, bank accounts and the Instagram accounts allegedly used to carry out the fraud are being traced as part of the investigation.
The case highlights how fake online shopping profiles can be used to move victims from a social media platform to private messaging before seeking repeated payments. A seemingly routine purchase can quickly become an online shopping fraud when sellers begin demanding additional transfers on the pretext of technical issues, refunds, taxes or other charges.
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