Honnavar: A youth named Shripad Hegde, resident of Gunuvante in Honnavar, lost Rs 4.90 lakhs recently after befriending a foreign woman on social networking platform Instagram. But this friendship cost Shripad dearly as he had to wash his hands with huge amount in the hope of rewards and honors from the woman.

According to a complaint lodged by Shripad Hegde at the Karwar Crime Branch, he befriended a woman named Linda from Portugal on Instagram, and then started a WhatsApp chat with her. During her WhatsApp chat, Linda assured Hegde that she was a great noblewoman and that in India she wanted to spend a huge amount of money for the victims of the COVID for which she will come to India herself and since she has confidence and trust in Hegde, she will spend this money through him. Linda also told Shripad Hegde that a representative of her named William J Mills, was coming to India, to whom she has sent with $200,000 as prizes to Shripad, in addition to valuables such as clothes, watches, shoes, mobile phones etc.

Then a man named William J. Mills called Shripad and informed him that he had reached India. In connection with the rewards sent by Linda to Shripad, in the name of airport expenses, COVID certificate expenses, stamp duty, police verification, receipt of parcels from the airport and payment to the officer between June 10 to 16, Rs 4.90 lakh was received from Shripad through William, which Shripad had deposited in various bank accounts mentioned by William. But after a long wait, when Shripad did not receive any parcel, he knocked on the door of the CEN Crime Police Station in Karwar. After registering a case of fraud in this regard, the police have started an investigation.