World · India Bureau
Honeytrap scam nets fraudsters Rs 3 lakh from Gujarat businessman
Three suspects have been arrested in Bhavnagar for allegedly luring a trader through social media and extorting over Rs 3 lakh by impersonating a police officer. Two other accused remain at large.
LSN India ·
Police in Bhavnagar have arrested three individuals in connection with an elaborate fraud scheme targeting a local businessman. The suspects befriended the trader on Facebook before executing a coordinated extortion plot that netted them Rs 3.05 lakh.
According to investigators, the accused initially cultivated a friendship with the victim through social media before luring him under the pretext of arranging a pilgrimage to Sarangpur. Once the businessman was isolated, one of the conspirators posed as a Crime Branch officer and threatened him with false encounter charges.
Facing threats of police action, the victim was coerced into handing over Rs 3.05 lakh to the fraudsters. The scheme unraveled when the victim reported the matter to authorities, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of three suspects, including one woman.
Local law enforcement officials have confirmed that two additional accused remain absconding. The arrested individuals are currently in police custody as investigators work to track down the remaining suspects and recover further details about the operation.