Duped while selling ‘786’ series note, 25 paise coins — Mumbai woman loses ₹8 lakh
Duped while selling ‘786’ series note, 25 paise coins — Mumbai woman loses ₹8 lakh
Cyber fraudster lures victim with fake promise of high returns for Rs 100 note bearing ‘786’ serial number and old 25 paise coins.
A 49-year-old woman from Mumbai lost over ₹8 lakh in a cyber fraud after responding to a social media advertisement offering large sums for rare currency. The scam promised her ₹8 lakh each for a Rs 100 note with the serial number 786 and for old 25 paise coins, as per Indian Express.
According to the FIR filed at Pydhonie police station, the woman first saw the ad on July 8 and contacted the number listed, claiming she had the said currency items. The person she spoke to asked her to share photos of the note and coins. Once she did, the fraudster convinced her that he would pay ₹8 lakh per item, but she needed to transfer various processing charges first.
Between July 12 and 14, citing reasons such as GST, late payment fees, and account verification charges, the accused extracted a total of ₹8.46 lakh from the woman. After the payments, the fraudster stopped responding and switched off his number. The woman’s attempts to reach him through alternate numbers also failed.
She then approached the police to register a case. Officers noted that such scams—promising high returns for vintage coins, rare notes, or collectibles—are increasingly being used to trap unsuspecting victims online.
The number 786 is considered auspicious in Islam, believed to represent the phrase “Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim”, meaning “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” Because of this, currency notes bearing this serial number are often viewed as lucky and can attract interest from collectors, which scammers exploit.
Authorities have issued fresh warnings advising people not to fall for online offers that demand advance payments in exchange for promised high returns.
