Mumbai Man Loses INR 1.07 Crore in Real Estate Scam on Facebook
A 43-year-old man from Mumbai's Dadar area, Shekhar Himmat Patil, was cheated of INR 1.07 crore by fraudsters who promised him a low-cost flat in the city. This scam came to light after Patil filed a complaint with the Mumbai Cyber Cell on June 3, 2025.
The accused posed as a real estate agent and used a Facebook page called 'Apna Ghar Apne City Mai' to attract people looking for affordable homes. Patil found this page while browsing Facebook and sent an email to the contact mentioned in the advertisement to inquire about the offer.
The accused replied and told Patil that he could help him get a two-bedroom apartment at a discounted rate. He sent Patil a link to a form and asked for his personal details. Later, he demanded INR 50,000 as a registration fee.
For the next couple of years, the fraudster kept demanding more money for different so-called clearances. These included MHADA, BMC NOC, and other fake charges. In total, they took INR 1.07 crore from Patil between November 2018 and November 2024. Despite making all these payments, Patil was never given any property.
When Patil realized he had been cheated, he approached the Cyber Cell. The officers tracked the email communication, checked IP addresses, reviewed the Facebook page, and searched the bank accounts used in the transactions. They were linked to Sanyam Devmani Pandey, a 36-year-old resident of Badlapur East in Thane district.
Pandey was arrested by the Cyber Cell. Initial investigation showed that he had created the fake Facebook page to trick people into paying money for properties that did not exist. Police found that the accused had made 215 different transactions using different names to cheat the victim. Officials believe there can be more victims. The investigation is ongoing.
This case highlights the importance of being cautious while dealing with online real estate offers and the need to verify the authenticity of the agents and properties before making any payments. The Mumbai Cyber Cell advises citizens to report any suspicious activities immediately to prevent falling victim to such scams.
