Facebook friend demands Rs5 lakh from Sikkim woman

A woman from Sikkim has been reportedly lured into parting with Rs5 lakh by a Facebook ‘friend’ after he promised to send her a surprise gift. On March 16, the woman received a call from a girl saying her parcel had arrived at APC Courier Service in New Delhi and she had to deposit Rs 25,000 as delivery charges. After the victim deposited the amount, she received a second call from the same girl saying the parcel contained 20,000 pounds and electronic goods for which she had to pay taxes failing which she could face money laundering charges. The gullible woman once again deposited the money demanded. Altogether, she deposited Rs5 lakh in different accounts as per the caller’s instructions only to realise soon after she had been swindled. The police complaint the woman filed states she befriended a man on Facebook in November 2014 who identified himself as Jackson A James. The two soon began chatting over phone as well and the man soon took the victim into his confidence. Charges under Section 420 r/w 120B of the IPC and Section 66D of the IT (A) Act, 2008 have been filed against the fraudster with the CID police station, Gangtok and investigations are underway. (HS)