Office help, 45, struggling under massive debt, decides to sell kidney for cash, but unfortunately dials cyber fraudster listed under Delhi hospital on search engine
Prashant Nigvekar, the complainant. Pic/By Special Arrangement; (right) The contact number of the fake hospital displayed on Google belonged to a cyber fraudster, according to the police. Representation pic/iStock
A 45-year-old Dahisar resident was duped of Rs 2.95 lakh by cyber fraudsters, who had promised to give him Rs 1 crore in return for a kidney. According to police sources, the victim, Prashant Nigvekar, who works as a peon at a private company in Andheri, lives with his wife, son, mother, and brother. Struggling under mounting debt and extreme financial hardship, he had already sold several household items before deciding to part with a kidney.
While searching online for buyers, Nigvekar came across a listing claiming that a hospital in Delhi was looking to buy kidneys.
He called the number listed and told the person on the line about his financial crisis and his willingness to sell a kidney. The caller offered Rs 1 crore in exchange for the organ and convinced Nigvekar to proceed.
In July last year, the complainant received a call during work hours asking for his blood group, age, and address. Representation pic/iStock
On July 16, 2024, the complainant received a call during work hours asking for his blood group, age, and address, followed by a demand to pay R2.95 lakh as part of the “processing fees”. Nigvekar was promised that the R1 crore would be transferred immediately after the surgery. Since he didn’t have the money, he borrowed the amount from acquaintances and loan apps and transferred the money in instalments to three different bank accounts between July 18 and July 30.
“The contact number displayed alongside the hospital’s name on Google was not associated with the hospital, but belonged to a cyber fraudster,” a police officer said.
“After the fraudster asked Nigvekar to share his medical reports and subsequently pocketed Rs 2.95 lakh, the latter was kept waiting for nearly a year. The victim was repeatedly told he would soon be called in for surgery. However, the caller kept delaying the process, making various excuses, and demanding a larger amount of money. Eventually, the fraudster’s number became unreachable,” the police officer added.
Eventually, Nigvekar inquired and came to know that the hospital with the similar name was in Pune, but not in Delhi.
“That’s when the complainant realised he had been duped. Despite being under extreme financial pressure, the victim had borrowed the money in the hope of receiving a Rs 1 crore payout. Instead, he ended up deeper in debt,” the officer added.
Nigvekar filed a report on the national cybercrime helpline (1930), and a formal complaint was lodged at the Dahisar police station.
“We registered an FIR as soon as we received the complaint and are actively investigating the matter,” said Senior Inspector Ashok Honmane of the Dahisar police station.
VictimSpeak
Opening up about his ordeal, Nigvekar told mid-day, “I earn a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 and live in a rented house. It was becoming very difficult to survive in such a situation. I always wanted to buy my own house, but with such a low income, getting a loan was nearly impossible.”
“I was constantly worried, and then the idea of selling my kidney came to mind. I searched on Google for ‘hospitals that buy kidneys’ and found this hospital in Delhi. I called the number listed, but the call got disconnected, and I received a WhatsApp call instead.”
“The caller asked for my details and assured me that I would receive Rs 1 crore in exchange for one kidney. I felt happy and hopeful, thinking that with that money I could finally buy a house and give my family a better life,” he said.
Nigvekar revealed that he borrowed from loan apps and friends to pay the ‘processing fee’. “But the scamsters kept buying time, saying, ‘Soon, soon’, and months passed. Meanwhile, the loan app companies started threatening me. I’m still paying them back little by little from my salary, but even now I continue to receive threats. I was depressed. Many times, I had thoughts of ending my life, but the faces of my children and family stopped me. When I couldn’t see a way out, I finally decided to approach the police and file a complaint.”
Stating that he had no idea he would ever fall victim to such a fraud, Nigvekar said, “When I finally realised the truth, it was too late. I just want to tell people — please be alert, be cautious, and think twice before transferring any money. Make sure you’re not falling into a trap like I did.”
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