Mumbai Doctor Discovers Visa Scam After Fraudster’s Unexpected WhatsApp Video Call
Mumbai, 20th February 2025: A fraudster has been exposed through an inadvertent autodialed WhatsApp video call. A Mumbai-based female doctor, who had been deceived into paying over Rs 2 lakh to a man claiming to be a “senior embassy official in Washington, DC,” discovered the truth when his phone accidentally dialled her number. The unexpected video call, which she accepted on February 15, revealed the man sitting in a crouched position inside a moving auto-rickshaw, surrounded by a bustling environment resembling Mumbai.
The woman, who works at a reputed hospital, had first met the alleged fraudster, who introduced himself as Shailesh Parekh, on a matrimonial website in 2010. Over the years, they stayed in touch, exchanging routine greetings, but their interaction took a different turn recently when she sought his assistance in obtaining a US visa to attend her nephew’s convocation. Under the pretence of expediting the process, the fraudster convinced her to transfer money between December 2024 and February 2025, citing delays due to political changes.
The police are also investigating the role of “Beena Shailesh Parekh,” believed to be the fraudster’s wife. According to the complaint, Beena contacted the doctor, presenting herself as an associate of the so-called embassy official. Following her call, the doctor transferred Rs 1.5 lakh, with the remaining amount sent in instalments as discussions regarding the visa continued. Officials from the Juhu police cybercrime unit confirmed that the accused had also sent religious images to the victim as part of his deception.
A case of fraud has been registered against both Shailesh Parekh and Beena Shailesh Parekh at Juhu police station, and authorities are actively searching for them.
Cybercrime statistics reveal that nearly one-third of victims are women, who are frequently targeted through cyberstalking, blackmail, financial fraud, morphed images, and fake profiles on matrimonial sites. Between 2021 and November 2024, at least 73 individuals in Mumbai were scammed by fraudsters posing as foreign nationals on marriage portals. Mumbai police successfully solved 19 such cases and arrested 23 individuals involved in these scams.
