A Navi Mumbai woman was allegedly defrauded of Rs 29 lakhs by a scamster pretending to be one Dr Jesus Centeno, a Spanish surgeon. The elaborate scam began in June 2023 through LinkedIn, the police said and added that the woman was first contacted through the business and employment-focused social media platform.

Police sources said that their conversation swiftly shifted to WhatsApp where Centeno discussed his life and being a single father in Ireland. Over a year, the scamster and the Navi Mumbai resident's relationship evolved with the former proposing marriage and expressing a wish to reside in India.