Highlights

• Navi Mumbai man loses Rs 90,000 in an online loan scam after responding to a Facebook ad.

• Victim paid upfront charges for a promised instant loan to fund his daughter’s education.

• Fraudsters posed as finance company representatives, demanding various processing fees.

• A police complaint has been filed, marking another case in the rising trend of online scams.

A 56-year-old Navi Mumbai resident, employed at a logistics company, lost Rs 90,000 to a scam that promised instant loans.

He found an ad on Facebook claiming quick loan approvals within two hours, which he hoped to use for his daughter’s education.

The Deceptive Loan Process

After applying for the loan through the ad on November 8, he quickly received a call from someone posing as a representative of the finance company.

The caller convinced him to pay various charges, including insurance, GST, and RBI charges, totaling Rs 90,000, under the guise of loan processing fees.

The man paid these charges, believing the loan would be processed.

However, when the loan amount was not credited, and he was asked for more money, he realized he had been duped.

He then filed a police complaint against the unidentified scammers.

Rising Incidence of Online Frauds

This incident is part of a growing trend of online scams in India. Common scams include ‘task frauds,’ where victims are assigned tasks and asked to pay money for the promise of high returns.

These frauds often result in financial loss for unsuspecting victims who trust seemingly legitimate online offers.

The case underscores the need for caution and verification when dealing with online financial offers, especially those found on social media platforms like Facebook.

FAQs

How did the Mumbai man become a victim of the loan scam?

The man applied for a loan after seeing a Facebook post about instant loans. He then received a call from someone claiming to be from the finance company and was asked to pay Rs 90,000 in various fees for the loan processing.

What fees did the victim pay in the loan scam?

The victim paid charges including insurance fees, GST, NOC charges, RBI charges, and two advance instalments, all amounting to Rs 90,000, under the belief that he was securing a loan.

Did the victim receive the loan after paying the charges?

No, the man did not receive the loan amount. When he tried contacting the caller for the loan, he realized he had been scammed after being asked for additional payments.