Police in Bihar’s Nawada district have busted a gang that allegedly duped hundreds of men across India by luring them with an offer to “impregnate childless women” in exchange for payments running into lakhs of rupees.
The scam, which also involved fake job offers and promises of cheap loans, was uncovered after an investigation by Nawada’s cyber cell.
How The Scam Operated
According to the BBC, the pitch appeared deceptively simple, men were promised large sums of money for having sex with childless women and impregnating them. In reality, victims were first asked to pay money under various pretexts, including registration fees, hotel charges and other expenses.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Kalyan Anand, who heads the Nawada cyber cell, told the BBC that hundreds of men from across the country are believed to have fallen prey to the racket.
“These men were asked to pay first, but the promised reward never materialised,” Anand said.
Arrests And Seizures
Police have so far arrested eight accused in connection with the scam. Nine mobile phones and a printer used to run the operation have been seized.
Anand said investigators are currently searching for 18 more suspects believed to be part of the network.
Victims Reluctant To Come Forward
Identifying victims has proven more difficult than tracking the accused, police said. Many of those who were cheated have not lodged complaints, reportedly due to embarrassment.
“The gang has been active for a year and we believe they have conned hundreds of people, but no one has so far come forward to complain, possibly because of shame,” Anand told the BBC.
‘All India Pregnant Job’ Advertisements
The scam was promoted through social media advertisements with eye-catching titles such as “All India Pregnant Job,” which appeared on platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp, NDTV reported.
Other misleading pitches included names like “Playboy Service” and offers of cheap loans under banners such as “Dhani Finance” and “SBI cheap loans.”
False Promises And Financial Losses
Victims were allegedly promised payments of up to Rs 10 lakh. To lend credibility to the scheme, they were shown photographs of female models and given the impression that they could choose whom they would meet.
However, before any meeting could take place, victims were repeatedly asked to make payments. It was only after continued demands for money, with no outcome, that many realised they had been cheated.
Several victims, reportedly from financially weaker backgrounds, lost their savings while hoping to earn what amounted to months of income. Many did not approach the police, the reports said.
