Kolkata Businessman Duped — A 54-year-old businessman from Kolkata has reportedly fallen victim to a sophisticated emotional fraud after meeting a woman at a bar in the EM Bypass area. The woman, claiming that her parents were in urgent need of medical treatment, manipulated the man into handing over gold jewellery worth ₹6 lakh before vanishing without a trace.
The incident has once again spotlighted the rise of emotionally driven scams targeting unsuspecting individuals in metropolitan cities.
A Deceptive Encounter at a Bar
According to the complaint filed at the local police station, the businessman had gone to the bar alone when he was approached by the woman and her male companion. After casual conversation, the woman, presenting herself as distressed and vulnerable, narrated a story of her parents’ critical health issues and mounting hospital expenses.
Gaining the businessman’s sympathy, she allegedly convinced him that she urgently needed financial help and requested gold jewellery instead of cash, promising repayment within two days.
Trusting her, the man handed over a gold chain and two rings, together valued at ₹6 lakh. However, following the encounter, she stopped answering his calls and disappeared.
Kolkata Businessman Duped: Police Investigation Underway
Kolkata Police have launched an investigation into the matter. Surveillance footage from the bar and nearby establishments has been collected. Investigators are also checking CCTV records in Salt Lake, where the woman reportedly met the complainant a second time after their initial meeting.
Officers are in the process of tracing the identities of both the woman and her companion, verifying any contact details the complainant might have had, and examining the timeline of their meetings.
A police officer familiar with the case said, “We are treating this as a case of premeditated cheating. The suspects appear to have been working in coordination, and we are checking similar cases reported in the past few months to determine if this is part of a larger network.”
Pattern of Emotional and Romance Scams
This incident is not isolated. Emotional fraud—where the perpetrator builds quick trust with the victim using fabricated personal emergencies—has seen a worrying increase, particularly in urban areas. Many scams now combine elements of social engineering, psychological manipulation, and personal interaction to bypass digital detection.
In several such cases, victims are approached at bars, online dating platforms, or via social media with similar stories of emergency needs—ranging from family health crises to legal troubles or lost wallets.
These scams often follow a calculated script:
- Sudden emotional appeal
- Urgent request for help
- Assurance of repayment
- Abrupt loss of contact once valuables are handed over
Safety Guidelines for the Public
Law enforcement authorities and fraud experts advise the public to follow the following precautions when approached with emergency stories by strangers or new acquaintances:
- Don’t make emotional decisions quickly. Scammers often exploit a sense of urgency.
- Never part with valuables or cash without documentation or proof of identity.
- Verify stories independently, especially medical or legal emergencies.
- Inform family or close friends before making any financial commitment to someone new.
- Report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.
Legal Framework for Action
Once apprehended, the accused may face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
- Section 406 (Criminal Breach of Trust)
- Section 420 (Cheating and Dishonestly Inducing Delivery of Property)
- Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy)
- Section 34 (Common Intention in a Crime)
The complainant is also likely to seek legal restitution, though recovery of gold or assets depends on whether the accused can be tracked and whether the items have been sold or pawned.
Broader Implications
Experts warn that such cases indicate a dangerous shift in fraud tactics—from purely online or cyber scams to hybrid models that use both physical interaction and emotional manipulation. This makes it harder to detect and prevent without vigilance and public awareness.
Cybercrime cells and local police departments are now working in tandem to build profiles of such repeat offenders and to run awareness campaigns.
Conclusion
The Kolkata businessman’s experience is a stark reminder of how trust, when misplaced, can result in significant financial and emotional damage. As personal and financial boundaries blur in an increasingly social and fast-paced world, caution, awareness, and timely reporting remain the best tools for protection.
Official External Resources
- Kolkata Police Cyber Crime Division
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
- Ministry of Home Affairs – Public Safety Resources
- Indian Penal Code – Official Text
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