Woman Falls for Fake Love Marriage Astrology Scam, Defrauded of ₹5.9 Lakh

New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): A 24-year-old woman from Electronics City, Bengaluru, was defrauded of nearly Rs 5.9 lakh by a cybercriminal posing as an astrologer on Instagram. The scam began when she came across an Instagram account named 'splno1indianastrologer,' which featured a photo of an Aghori baba. The individual, identifying himself as Vijay Kumar, claimed to be an expert astrologer and convinced her to share her personal details, including her name and birth information, for horoscope analysis.

Kumar told the woman that her horoscope revealed astrological issues that required special pujas to resolve, promising that she would have a love marriage. Initially, he asked for a modest sum of Rs 1,820 for a ritual, which she paid via a digital payment app. Over time, Kumar fabricated additional stories about her marital future, pressuring her to send more money for further pujas. By the time she realized she had been scammed, she had transferred nearly Rs 6 lakh to him.

When the woman demanded a refund, Kumar returned only Rs 13,000 and began threatening her, claiming he would commit suicide and implicate her in his suicide note if she continued to ask for her money back. Shortly afterward, a man named Prashant, posing as an advocate, contacted the woman, claiming that Kumar was suicidal due to her demands.

Realizing she had been conned, the woman reported the incident to the Electronics City police. Investigators believe the scam was orchestrated by cybercriminals, with no actual astrologer or lawyer involved. A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 of the BNS (cheating). Authorities are investigating the matter further to track down the culprits behind the fraud.