A 24 -year -old woman from Bangalore lost about 6 lakh rupees after being cheated by a fake astrologer discovered on Instagram. According to a report by the Times of India, the woman, who was taking advice about her future marriage, was manipulated to pay a large amount under astrological rituals and pretense of Pujas.

The victim is a resident of Priya (name changed) Electronics City and an employee of a private firm. He filed a complaint with the police, describing how he was cheated. On 5 January, she came in an Instagram profile called ‘splno1indianastrologer’, showing a picture of an Aghori Baba and claiming expertise in astrology. Eager about her future, Priya messaged the account and contacted a person who recognized herself as Vijay Kumar.

After exchanging his name and date of birth with him through WhatsApp, Kumar informed him that he would have a love marriage, but his horoscope showed some astrological issues. He offered to resolve these issues by performing special priests, which came with a fee. The first payment, which was Rs 1,820, looked small, and Priya agreed without any hesitation, transferred the amount through a digital payment app.

However, it was just the beginning of a series of demands. Over time, Kumar told Priya that more priests were necessary for her good and future marital life. Every time, he asked for additional payment. By the time Priya realized that she was understood, she had already paid about 6 lakh rupees to the fraud.

Things used to take a turn when Priya demanded to return her money. Kumar returned Rs 13,000 but warned her that if she kept asking for the remaining amount, she would kill herself and name her in her suicide note. Subsequently, he received a call from a person named Prashant who claimed to be a lawyer. He told him that Kumar was on the verge of suicide due to pressure to return the money, which was adding his crisis.

Priya approached the police, realizing that she was a victim of a wide scam. According to a senior police officer, the case appears to be a cyber criminal work, which does not include a real astrologer or lawyer. The Electronics City Police has registered a case under Section 318 of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code, which is related to cheating. The police is investigating the case, but no arrests have been made yet.

Subsequently, users are advised to be cautious of such scams. One should always remember that if a stranger takes your future a large amount and asks you to fix your future, then it can be a scam.