Retired teacher loses ₹2.3 crore in matrimonial scam spanning four years in Bengaluru: Report

A 59-year-old retired teacher from Bengaluru lost ₹2.3 crore to a fraudulent online romance spanning four years.

A 59-year-old retired schoolteacher from East Bengaluru has fallen victim to an elaborate online scam that cost her ₹2.3 crore. The woman, who lost her husband several years ago and lives alone, registered on a matrimonial website in 2019 in the hope of finding companionship.

The Bengaluru woman, believing she was in a genuine relationship, sent money to a scammer posing as a US citizen. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

According to her police complaint filed on October 3, she was approached in December 2019 by a man using the name “Aahan Kumar”, a report by The Times of India said. He claimed to be an Indian-origin US citizen residing in Atlanta and working as a drilling engineer for an Israeli oil firm. He told her he was stationed in the Black Sea and shared an ID card, though it lacked a photo, to back up his story.

Over time, their virtual friendship turned into what she believed was a genuine emotional bond. Aahan promised to marry her and frequently referred to her as his wife, said the report. Their regular conversations happened via WhatsApp calls from a US number, and he repeatedly claimed he would return to India soon after finishing his project.

In early 2020, Aahan requested financial help, saying he was struggling to afford food while waiting for his contract payment. Trusting his story, the woman transferred money to an account in the name of someone called Madhavi. Over the next four years, she continued sending him funds, believing he faced genuine emergencies such as equipment failures, medical issues, and fines.

By November 2024, she had exhausted her savings and borrowed money from others to keep helping him. When she finally refused to pay more, Aahan began cutting off contact. After waiting nearly a year with no repayment or closure, she approached the police, stated the report.

Authorities have filed a case under the IT Act and are investigating efforts to trace the scammer and recover the funds.