Hyderabad: 22-year-old poses as cancer patient, cons several into donating Rs 22 lakh
Samia Abdul Hafeez, a resident of the city's Saidabad area, started an online campaign in January, claiming she was suffering from brain and breast cancer and needed money for treatment. She had a Facebook page called 'Go Fund Samia.'
A 22-year-old woman who posed as a cancer patient to con her Facebook friends into giving her Rs 22 lakh, has been arrested in Hyderabad.
Samia Abdul Hafeez, a resident of the city's Saidabad area, started an online campaign in January, claiming she was suffering from brain and breast cancer and needed money for treatment. She had a Facebook page called 'Go Fund Samia.'
Samia's father Abdul Hafeez was actually undergoing treatment for cancer in a well-known private hospital in Hyderabad - that's how she learned about the disease.
Several of Samia's Facebook friends made donations, and she ended up Rs 22 lakh richer. The money went to her account in State Bank of Hyderabad's Gunfoundry branch.
But her 'perfect crime' was exposed when one of her donors contacted the hospital.
Banjara Hills Police told India Today they took Samiya into custody after a few donors and a private hospital lodged a complaint against her.
As well, police have requested the State Bank of Hyderabad to freeze Samia's account - in which there's only Rs 5,000 left.