Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, known for his comedic roles in films like “Yes Boss” and ” Shrimaan Shrimati,” has become the latest victim of a sophisticated online scam. The 69-year-old actor was duped out of Rs. 85,000 by a conman posing as an army officer interested in buying his Pune flat.
Flat on Sale, Dreams Dashed
Bedi had advertised his Pune flat for sale for Rs. 87 lakh. The scammer, pretending to be an army officer, contacted him, expressing interest in purchasing the property. The accused requested photos of the property over the phone on December 25. To win Bedi’s faith, the con artist even gave fictitious identity papers and paperwork purporting to show his military experience.
Web of Deceit Spun with Forged Documents
Initially, Bedi sent Rs. 1 to the scammer via Google Pay. The scammer then failed to transfer Rs. 50,000 to him. He asserted that for the transaction to be approved, the balances of both parties’ accounts had to be comparable according to army standards.
He persuaded Bedi to provide Rs. 50,000 in “security” to match the amount purportedly in the conman’s army account.
Lured into a Trap, Money Siphoned Off
On a desire to sell the flat, Bedi complied. However, the conman’s demands didn’t stop there. He fabricated further excuses, convincing Bedi to make two more transactions totaling Rs. 35,000.
Only after realizing the conman had stopped responding to his calls and messages did Bedi comprehend the gravity of the situation.
Realization Dawns, Police Action Initiated
Devastated by the financial and emotional blow, Bedi reported the scam to the Oshiwara police station in Mumbai on December 30, 2023. The police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
A Stark Reminder for All
In a talk with E-times, Bedi revealed that, “They frequently make these calls at night. As a result, even if a person understands that someone has fooled them, registering a complaint is too late. The B-town actor revealed that he had given the police all the facts, including the man’s bank account number, pictures, and transaction records. The police told me these kinds of cases are a habitual way of operating. Fortunately, I did not lose much of my money.”