Stranded in Dubai Scam: Ghazipur Man Duped of ₹30,000 by Facebook ‘Relative’

Ghazipur, UP: In a new twist to cyber fraud, a resident of Jamalpur, Ghazipur, was conned of ₹30,000 by scammers posing as a relative on Facebook. The victim has lodged a complaint, and the police have registered a case under the IT Act.

How the Scam Unfolded

Bharat Prasad, the victim, explained that on 11 November, he received a Facebook Messenger message from someone claiming to be his distant relative, Sarwan Kumar, who said he was stranded in Dubai. The scammer alleged that he had traveled to Dubai through an agent named Ramlal, but had been detained by Dubai authorities for using a fake visa.

The fraudster claimed that ₹95,000 was needed for his release and pressured Bharat to transfer the money immediately. Unable to arrange such a large sum, Bharat was persuaded to send ₹30,000, trusting the relative’s identity. He transferred the money via PhonePe to a number provided by the scammer, identified as Ujwal Singh.

The Real Sarwan Kumar Speaks

After the scammer demanded another ₹50,000, Bharat became suspicious and contacted the real Sarwan Kumar. Sarwan clarified that he was not in Dubai and that a fake Facebook account using his photo and name had been created to dupe unsuspecting people.

The scammers reportedly used multiple aliases and communication channels, including Ramlal, Ujwal Singh, and Lado Khatun, across phone, WhatsApp, and Facebook.

Police Action Underway

Bharat Prasad has handed over all chat records, transaction receipts, and bank passbook copies to the police. The Ghazipur City Kotwali has confirmed that a case under cyber fraud and IT Act provisions has been registered and that efforts are underway to trace the perpetrators.