Cybercrooks create Bengaluru hospital's fake website, offer Rs 5 crore to anyone wanting to sell kidney

Bengaluru: In yet another case of cybercrime amid the pandemic gloom, online fraudsters floated a fake website in the name of a renowned city hospital, in order to dupe unsuspecting individuals by luring them with the offer to sell their kidney for Rs 5 crore.

As per reports, Dr Niranjan Rai from Manipal Hospitals, Old Airport Road, lodged a complaint with the cybercrime police in connection with the matter. The police, on the basis of the complaint, registered an offence against Dr Thomas James, who was allegedly running the fraudulent website. 

The fake website bore a strong resemblance to the genuine website of Manipal Hospitals. The message from Dr Thomas Joseph on the fake site read: "Sell your kidney for Rs five crores in Indian rupees; contact us today and get paid the same day; you can sell your one kidney and live a normal



life,".

As per the police, people, who visited the fake website, were directed to different web links.  An investigating officer said that the duping seems to occur at the stage of the payment of the registration fee. 

The officer told  press , "We are tracking the miscreants, who seem to be operating from a different state. We are in the initial stages of investigation and need time to say if anyone has fallen prey to these fraudsters. If anyone has lost money to them, they can approach us." 

Bagaluru police from the northeast division had also recently arrested a Nigerian national for overstaying in the country and randomly sending emails and messages over various social media platforms, promising to buy and sell kidneys for money. Police are yet to ascertain if the cases are related. The matter is being investigated