Thane Native Duped in International Gas Bill Scam

A Thane native residing in the US fell victim to a scam, losing nearly Rs 1 lakh to fraudsters posing as cooking gas supply officials. The case was reported and investigated by Naupada police under charges of cheating and the IT Act, although no arrests have been made yet.

A man originally from Thane, Maharashtra, but currently living in the United States, has become the victim of a fraud, losing almost Rs 1 lakh. The fraudsters allegedly impersonated officials from a piped cooking gas supply company, according to police reports on Monday.

Currently residing in New Jersey, the victim received phone calls on December 20, 2024, from two separate numbers. The callers, claiming to represent 'MNGL', falsely informed him of unpaid gas bills, a Naupada police station official revealed.

The alleged scammers extracted Rs 99,900 through multiple payment methods from the victim. The police registered a complaint, filed by his relative, against unidentified accused under charges of cheating and provisions of the Information Technology Act. The investigation is ongoing, with no arrests reported yet.

(With inputs from agencies.)