Hyderabad: Wanting to donate a kidney to earn money, a city-based businessman ended up paying Rs 21 lakh to cyber fraudsters. The victim, who found an advertisement on the internet, wanting a kidney donor, contacted the strangers and paid them the money for the offer of receiving Rs 1.6 crore for donating his kidney.
The victim, Rajesh (name changed) who is in the mid-40s suffered losses in business and wanted money to recover from the financial crisis. He decided to sell a kidney and make money. For that, he searched on the internet and found an advertisement on a website where a mobile number was provided for further contact.
Rajesh contacted the stranger, who claimed he was Dr. Wesley and explained about the kidney donation process and the tests involved to proceed further, offering Rs 1.6 crore on successful completion of the transplant.
Further, Wesley introduced David and Bansal to Rajesh as doctors working in reputed hospitals who would carry out the operation.
Rajesh was told about the various processes and they started taking money from him in various installments.
Rajesh, who fell into the trap of the crooks, paid around Rs 21 lakh in a span of six months into 27 bank accounts provided to him by the strangers.
A Rachakonda police official said “The victim has never met any of the persons whom he spoke to over the phone. He was lured with the money but was made to deposit money on various pretexts. He lost a total of Rs 21 lakh to the cyber crooks.”
The official said that following a complaint from the victim, an investigation was taken up. Prima facie, it is suspected that the fraud would have been done by African nationals, who earlier used to trap innocent people offering huge money for an organ transplant.
“Unaware of the legality involved in kidney transplants, innocent people fall into the trap of crooks. A person can donate a kidney to his/her close relative but not to strangers. We advise the public to not fall prey to such fraudsters and end up in losses,” said the police official.
