Here’s why you should never trust the Internet with an email promising you the “chance of a lifetime”. Actor Karan Singh Grover, who’s currently dating Bipasha Basu, has filed an FIR with police in Mumbai after he fell victim to a massive online fraud suspected to be orchestrated by a Nigerian group. Earlier, in May, Karan received a text from ‘Audi Motors in the United Kingdom’ declaring he had won Rs 4.31 crore. He was then asked to deposit over Rs 4 lakh for an ‘anti-terrorism certificate’ by the United Nations! The scamsters said this certificate was crucial because it declared that the money will not be used for terror activities.
Now, anybody who knows the United Nations, knows that the world body doesn’t go around issuing certificates over email. For Karan, however, no alarm bells rang. And within days, he lost Rs 7.70 lakh.
Here’s how it all happened
Shortly after replying to the email, 33-year-old Karan was informed that one Morgan Smith, a ‘general manager’, was in Delhi with the prize money. The next day, this Smith asked Karan to deposit Rs 24,000 with an agent, for ‘customs clearance’. Shortly after the deposit, the actor received an email from the New Delhi branch of Royal Bank of Scotland saying that an account had been opened in his name with Rs 4.31 crore deposited by Audi Motors.
But when Karan tried moving the money, he was asked to deposit another Rs 98,000 for securing a transaction code. After transfering that amount, another Rs4.06 lakh was demanded for the UN certificate.Finally, Karan realised the whole Audi scheme was a ride when he was asked to pay Rs12 lakh tax on the prize money. And by May 22, he had lost a sizeable sum.The Delhi police are investigating the case.
