Woman who advertised land duped of Rs. 1 Mn

The Ingiriya Police have received a complaint regarding an incident where Rs. one million was defrauded from a female land owner by a person who posed as a female military officer from US who had an interest  in buying a land advertised by the complainant on the internet.

The fraudsters had given the complainant an aluminum box saying it contained US$ 20 million sent by the female US military officer, but it had only contained some black papers.

The complainant has produced the box before the Ingiriya police. Police say that a 44-year-old woman, a resident of Handapangoda had posted an advertisement on the internet saying that a land in Ingiriya was for sale for Rs.10 million.

It is stated in the complaint that a woman who introduced herself as an American woman spoke to the complainant through text messages stating that she would like to buy the land, and then the two parties exchanged views through an email address provided by the foreign woman.

A person who was introduced as the foreign woman’s father had also exchanged ideas with the complainant and since it is difficult for the complainant to handle English, information was exchanged through text messages through WhatsApp technology. On April 9, the person who was introduced as the foreign woman’s father had sent a text message to the complainant and said that he would send money to the complainant through courier service to purchase the land. He had later told the woman that as Sri Lankan rupees has to be paid at the airport as fees to get the money released she should deposit one million rupees in three bank accounts given by him.

On April 11, a person resembling a black man of foreign origin had come to her home in a car belonging to a vehicle rental company with a red suitcase.

There had been a box inside that bag and the visitor had shown the woman a bundle of green papers which were inside. He had taken two papers out and had poured a chemical and a note resembling 100 US dollars had appeared. As all the remaining notes should be applied chemicals this way and while noting there was money worth two million US dollars in that box, the man had asked for Rs.6.5 million to do it. He had left while leaving the box with her and asking to call back when the money was ready.

Later the same person had called her and asked her to deposit Rs.100,000 as this should be paid for the hotel he was staying. The woman who got suspicious had complained to the police and the police are investigating.