How a Mumbai man, 80, was cheated of Rs 8.7 crore by '1 woman playing 4 roles' in online love scam

An 80-year-old man in Mumbai was scammed out of nearly Rs 9 crore over 21 months by individuals posing as multiple women on social media, in a disturbing case of emotional companionship in elaborate online love scam .

The ordeal began in April 2023 when the elderly man sent a Facebook friend request to a woman named “Sharvi.” Although the request was initially ignored, he later received a request from the same profile, which he accepted. What started as casual chatting soon moved to WhatsApp, where Sharvi claimed she was separated from her husband and living with her children, reports NDTV.

Over time, Sharvi began asking for money, citing her children's medical issues. The man complied, making multiple payments. The scam escalated when another woman, “Kavita,” introduced herself as Sharvi’s friend and began sending explicit messages and demands for money.

In December 2023, the man was contacted by a third woman, “Dinaz,” who claimed to be Sharvi’s sister and informed him of Sharvi’s death. Dinaz asked him to clear hospital bills and used screenshots of his private chats with Sharvi to extort more money. When he demanded his money back, she threatened suicide.

The scam continued with a fourth woman named “Jasmine,” who claimed to be Dinaz’s friend and also requested financial help.

Between April 2023 and January 2025, the elderly man made 734 transactions totaling Rs 8.7 crore. After exhausting his life savings, he borrowed Rs 2 lakh from his daughter-in-law and later requested Rs 5 lakh from his son. His son, growing suspicious, questioned him, leading to the discovery of the ongoing scam.

Emotionally and mentally distressed, the elderly man was admitted to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with dementia. A cybercrime complaint was filed on July 22, 2025, and police have launched an investigation.

Authorities suspect that the identities of Sharvi, Kavita, Dinaz, and Jasmine may have been fabricated by a single individual or group involved in an organised cyber fraud operation.