Thane: A 27-year-old chartered accountant from Bhiwandi was allegedly cheated of ₹2.11 lakh over several months by a fraudster posing as an astrologer on Instagram, police said.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the woman came across an account named “astrologer_kinnar_sita_ma” on Aug. 31, 2025, through an in-app advertisement and contacted the person after finding the posts relatable to her situation.
Police said the accused gained her trust through regular chats and phone calls, claiming to have spiritual powers to resolve her problems. The victim was then persuaded to make payments for rituals with promises of guaranteed results.
Between August 2025 and March 2026, she transferred a total of ₹2.11 lakh in five instalments via UPI and QR code transactions.
After receiving the money, the accused stopped responding and deactivated the account.
The victim initially approached the national cybercrime helpline and later filed a complaint at Shantinagar police station on March 19.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The phone number used by the accused has been traced, and further investigation is underway, police said.
