Ahmedabad: A 45-year-old travel agent was allegedly duped of $18,000 (about Rs 17 lakh) after a man posing as a prospective customer tricked him into a cash exchange deal and fled with foreign currency.According to the complaint registered on Saturday with city cybercrime police, the victim runs a tour and travel business in the city. He keeps US dollars for his daughter, who is studying medicine abroad.On Sept 3, the victim allegedly received a call from an acquaintance who told him that a prospective customer would contact him regarding a trip to US and UK for his parents. Later, the purported customer reportedly discussed hotel and taxi bookings for his parents.Later, the caller allegedly told the agent that his parents would require dollars during their trip. He asked whether the agent had US dollars and offered to pay him in Indian currency.The caller then allegedly asked the agent to bring the dollars to a business centre.The man posing as the customer took $18,000 from the agent, who was told to wait in a cabin for the money in INR.The ‘customer’ never returned.The agent later found that WhatsApp chats and other communications relating to the meeting had been deleted.Police have filed a case of cheating and breach of trust.
