Punjab Police employee tricked by fraudster posing as NRI suitor; case registered, probe underway
A Punjab Police civil department clerk lost nearly ₹79 lakh after falling victim to a cyber fraud involving a fake NRI marriage proposal. The victim, Amarjit Kaur, works at the DIG Ludhiana Range office and lives in Pamal village, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
According to police, Amarjit Kaur had advertised for marriage when she was contacted via WhatsApp by a man claiming to be from England. To gain her trust, he introduced her to women posing as his mother and sister. Later, he told her he was sending an expensive “shagun” gift, which was allegedly held at customs, demanding multiple payments for its release.
Fraudster posed as NRI groom, staged fake family members, and trapped victim with ‘customs gift’ scam
Investigators revealed that Kaur transferred money five times into bank accounts provided by the fraudster, amounting to ₹79 lakh. When the man’s phone was switched off and no gift arrived, she realised she had been duped and lodged a complaint with SSP Ludhiana Rural Ankur Gupta.
A case has been registered at the cyber crime police station against unknown persons. ASI Jagroop Singh, the investigating officer, confirmed that efforts are ongoing to trace the accounts and identify those involved.
Police warn public against online marriage scams, urge verification of NRI claims before financial transactions.
Officials have cautioned people to remain vigilant about online marriage proposals, stressing that genuine NRIs or their families never demand money for releasing gifts or customs clearance. Citizens are urged not to share personal details with strangers, to verify identities through trusted channels, and to report suspicious requests immediately to cyber helplines.
