US Gift Scam: Lakhs Lost in Instagram Friendship Turned Cyber Trap

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A Cyber Scam Exploiting Instagram Friendship Costs Indian Woman ₹15 Lakh

A woman from Khanna, Punjab, has fallen prey to a sophisticated cyber scam that originated from an Instagram friendship, resulting in a financial loss of ₹15 lakh.

The Scam Unfolds

The scam began in 2025 when the victim, who was working in Dubai on a work visa, connected with a person claiming to be Manish Chaudhary on Instagram. The individual purported to be a US-based businessman involved in the gold trade and gained the victim’s trust over time. He proposed marriage and claimed to be sending a parcel containing valuable items, including gold and diamond jewelry, an iPhone, Apple Watches, and a substantial amount of cash.

Threats and Intimidation

Upon the victim’s return to India on August 15, 2025, she started receiving calls from a man identifying himself as Manoj, who claimed to be a courier official based in Dubai and Mumbai. He informed her that the parcel had arrived at Mumbai airport and required payment of customs duty and penalty for clearance. When the victim expressed hesitation, the callers resorted to threats of arrest, action by Dubai police, and even death threats. They also sent videos of other women being “arrested” to create fear and intimidate the victim.

The scammers continued to pose as various officials, including airport personnel and a “High Court judge,” to extract more money from the victim and her family. They claimed that the parcel was being held up due to non-payment of processing charges and government taxes. The family, under duress, took a loan of ₹1.46 lakh from a finance company and transferred an additional ₹1 lakh.

The Investigation

The Khanna cyber crime police have registered an FIR under cheating and the IT Act based on the family’s complaint. The police have stated that the case follows a typical “romance-cum-parcel scam” pattern, where the scammers create an emotional bond with the victim, promise costly gifts, and then demand payment of customs fees, taxes, and legal charges under threat.

Warning to the Public

The police have advised the public to avoid financial transactions with unknown social media contacts and to be cautious of demands for customs duty or taxes via personal bank transfers. They have also emphasized that law enforcement agencies never demand money over phone calls and that any such threats should be reported immediately to the cyber helpline (1930) or cybercrime.gov.in.

Conclusion

Efforts are underway to trace the bank accounts and digital identities used in the fraud, and arrests are expected soon. This case highlights the need for increased awareness about evolving cyber threats and the importance of exercising caution when interacting with unknown individuals on social media platforms.