New Delhi, Sept. 5 -- In a bizarre case of online fraud, an 80-year-old woman from Hokkaido, Japan, was duped of nearly Rs.6 lakh (5,000 pounds) after a scammer convinced her he was an astronaut stranded in space and needed urgent help to survive.

According to CBS News, the woman met the fraudster on social media in July. During their conversations, the man claimed he was aboard a spaceship and later alleged that he was "under attack" and desperately needed oxygen. He urged her to transfer money so he could purchase it and make it back safely.

The woman, who lives alone, reportedly developed feelings for him through their online exchanges. Believing his story, she sent him the money. Shortly after receiving the funds, the scammer cut of...