CHENNAI: A 45-year-old woman was defrauded of Rs 25 lakh by a man who claimed he wanted to marry her for a second time, in the Nilgiris.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the victim, already married and a mother of two daughters, was approached online by a person using the name Permato Eric, who claimed to be residing in the UK. Through social media, he developed a close relationship with her and convinced her that they would get married.

The man later told her that he had travelled from England and was carrying a large quantity of gold bars, which he claimed were seized at Delhi airport. Using various excuses, he repeatedly extracted Rs 25 lakh from her over multiple transactions.

Suspecting foul play, the woman lodged a complaint at Kotagiri Police Station. The investigation revealed that the accused used AI technology and fake documents to deceive the victim. Police are conducting a thorough probe into the case and have warned the public against trusting strangers they meet on social media.