Mysore/Mysuru: A 32-year-old man from Hadinaru village Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru is the latest victim of online escort services who made away with Rs. 14.48 lakh. Even after paying the money, the accused has been demanding more money without any services and had not even gone incommunicado.

The District Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) Crime Police has registered a case under Information Technology Act (IT Act) and other sections of cheating under the IPC – 420 against unknown accused based on a complaint from the man.

According to the Police, Swamy received a message on his Facebook messenger from one Pallavi on Dec. 3, 2022. Swamy accepted the friend request and began chatting. The conversations led to audio calls where the caller on the other side introduced herself as Pallavi and told Swamy that her company provided escort services and asked Swamy if he was interested.

An unsuspecting Swamy readily agreed and Pallavi then told him that cash had to be paid in advance through Google Pay. Swamy agreed to the conditions and paid Rs. 48,500 in four stages with the first payment to the mobile number 7353631473 on Jan. 23, 2023.

After making the payment, Swamy demanded the service to which Pallavi replied that she will send ‘attractive women’ if he paid more. At this stage, Pallavi went incommunicado and meanwhile, different women by names like Anjali, Suma and Sneha called Swamy and began chatting and calling him through audio facility. And till May 25, Swamy ended up paying Rs. 14,48,500 online but the service remained a mirage.

In his complaint to the CEN Police, Swamy said that he only chatted and spoke over phone but had not seen the faces of any of the women.

A senior Police officer said that in such cases even if the victims are involved in opting escort services online, which itself is an offence and are getting cheated, the Police consider the culpability of the victims losing money on the pretext of getting escort services.

In reality, there are no services granted and cheating is being carried out in its name, the officer added. In such cases, the Police would treat the complainant as a victim and try to recover the money he had lost due to the cheating.