Chennai: Email promises Rs 1.5 crore for kidney: Woman volunteer loses Rs 5.36 lakh

Chennai: A woman on Saturday complained with cyber crime cell of Central Crime Branch that she lost Rs 5.36 lakh after she was duped into receiving payment for selling her kidney.

The woman, identified as Ranjitha, hails from General Kumaramangalam Colony in Perambur. She complained to the police on Wednesday and also circulated messages on social media platforms on Saturday stating that she had received an anonymous email saying a millionaire is in urgent requirement of a kidney and that the donor would receive Rs1.5 crore.

In anticipation to meet the demands of her family and other commitments, she replied to the mail saying she was willing to donate her kidney. According to her, in reply to this, the online scammer immediately approved her request and sent a letter in the name of a leading private hospital in the city and also forged certification on Ranjitha’s name.

Following this, the fraudster communicating through video call asked her to deposit Rs 5.5 lakh in separate chunks to different bank accounts. Without telling her husband or her family members, she had borrowed money from her friends in anticipation to pay them back once she receives the Rs 1.5 crore as promised.

She also said that to gain her faith, the scammer would send her letters not just in the name of the leading hospital, but also Reserve Bank of India and High Court of America.

When Ranjitha grew suspicious over constant demands from the fraudster, she had told them that she wants to step back and asked them to refund the amount she deposited in several banks.

In answer to this, they had asked her to pay an additional Rs 50,000 as commission for cancellation. After finally realising she was trapped in a scam, Ranjitha complained at the Cyber Crime Cell. Efforts are currently on to trace the culprits and the money route.