Udupi: Even though there are various warnings regarding online fraud, people keep on falling prey to it. The latest victim is a 56-year-old man from Ambalpady, who lost Rs 1,37,500 to online fraud.

Sanjeeva Balkur (56), the victim of the fraud, became friends with a girl named Lisa Cole through social media. She reportedly came from London to Delhi on September 13 this year. The girl told Sanjeeva that on landing at the Delhi airport, she was questioned by the customs officials. She told the officials that she had brought a demand draft for one hundred thousand pounds to buy jewellery and a few items in India. She then requested Sanjeeva Balkur to deposit Rs 42,500 to the bank account mentioned by her for clearance of the demand draft. Sanjeeva Balkur transferred the amount through internet banking and cheque.

The next day, on September 14, a person claiming to be a customs officer from Delhi airport called up Sanjeeva saying that Lisa Cole had been kept in a guest house and asked Sanjeeva to transfer Rs 75,000 for high court verification and conversion of the demand draft brought by Lisa from pounds to Indian rupees. Sanjeeva Balkur transferred the amount through cheque. He again transferred another Rs 20,000 on September 15 to pay tax for the clearance of the cheque.

Sanjeeva realized that the girl had cheated him. The Udupi police have registered a case under IT Act and Sec 420 of the IPC.