PRAYAGRAJ, July 23 -- In three separate cases reported in the city, cyber fraudsters posing as prospective brides allegedly cheated three young men of a total of Rs.14.68 lakh. A doctor from Georgetown lost Rs.7.30 lakh after a woman he met on a matrimonial platform allegedly persuaded him to invest in trading before marriage. According to the cyber police, the doctor came in contact with a woman identifying herself as Sanvi Gupta on a matrimonial platform. During their conversations, the woman claimed to work for a trading company and persuaded him to invest in trading to secure a better financial future before marriage. Trusting her, the doctor transferred Rs.7.30 lakh in several instalments. Soon after receiving the money, the woman stopped communicating with him. In another case, a resident of Rajrooppur lost Rs.4.37 lakh to a woman he met through a matrimonial site. The two remained in regular contact for nearly three months. During this period, the woman sought financial help on multiple occasions, citing family problems, medical emergencies and other urgent needs. The man transferred Rs.4.37 lakh to various bank accounts. However, when he began discussing marriage plans, the woman gradually distanced herself and eventually severed all contact. A similar fraud was reported by a young man from Naini. A woman claiming to be associated with an investment company befriended him through a matrimonial platform and convinced him to invest in share trading by promising high returns. He transferred Rs.3.01 lakh in instalments but later discovered that neither the money nor the alleged investment company could be traced. Cyber police said such frauds typically begin with the creation of attractive profiles on matrimonial websites. The fraudsters spend weeks or even months building trust through regular conversations, photographs and video calls to make the relationship appear genuine. Once the victim becomes emotionally attached, they seek money on various pretexts, including medical emergencies, foreign travel expenses, customs duties or investment opportunities. After receiving the funds, they deactivate their mobile numbers and online profiles and disappear. "Cyber criminals are now relying more on psychological manipulation than technical tricks. They first build an emotional connection and then ask for money on one pretext or another. Thorough verification is essential before any financial transaction in an online relationship," said Om Narayan Gautam, station in-charge of the cyber crime police station. It may be mentioned that cases involving fraud of more than Rs.5 lakh are registered at the cyber crime police station, while those involving fraud of less than Rs.5 lakh are registered at the cyber cell at the local police station under whose jurisdiction the crime took place....