Beauty pageant scam: Pune student duped of Rs.10 lakh by fraudsters
Beauty pageant scam: Pune student duped of Rs.10 lakh by fraudsters
A 21-year-old electrical engineering diploma student from Padmavati was duped of ₹10 lakh by fraudsters promising to help her represent India at the Ms Inter-Continental beauty pageant in Egypt. The scam occurred between October 1 and November 20 last year.
The victim’s parents took a ₹10 lakh loan to support her dream. However, the promise turned out to be a fraud. Senior Inspector Chhagan Kapse of Sahakar Nagar Police stated that the culprits include two individuals from Haryana and one from Gujarat.
The victim, who regularly participated in beauty contests, was contacted by the fraudsters and invited to an event in Jaipur. They assured her that this would be a stepping stone to the international pageant.
The scammers persuaded her to transfer ₹10 lakh, claiming it was for passport, visa, and airfare expenses. After attending the Jaipur event, the victim was told she had been directly selected for the global competition. However, when she received an international travel ticket via social media, she realized it was fake. Her name was not listed among the Indian representatives, and the fraudsters stopped responding to her.
The victim met one of the fraudsters in New Delhi and Jaipur during the scam. The culprits refused to refund the money, leaving the victim and her family distraught.
A complaint was filed with the Sahakar Nagar Police, and an FIR has been lodged under cheating charges in the Indian Penal Code. Police are investigating the case.
This incident highlights the need for caution against such scams targeting aspiring individuals.
