Woman, 69, loses ₹65,000 to scammer posing as Keanu Reeves on Telegram, shares bank details and passport

Summary

D. Kamat, a 69-year-old woman living alone in Versova, Mumbai, was defrauded of ₹65,000 after a scammer posing as Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves contacted her via Telegram and convinced her he needed money for a flight to India. The scammer progressively gained her trust, obtained sensitive documents including photos of her bank passbook, deposit slips, and passport, and attempted to isolate her from her family by claiming the bank had stolen her money. The NEFT transfer of ₹65,000 was made on June 30 to an account in Dehradun. The fraud came to light when her daughter in London noticed an unexpected bank transfer notification. An FIR was filed at Versova police station on September 8, 2025 under IT Act provisions covering cheating and impersonation. The scammer attempted to convince the victim her family members could not be trusted.