A 32-year-old woman from Salem district, Priya Mathiyazhagan, was arrested by Coimbatore police for allegedly cheating a farmer, P. Mayilsamy, of Rs 7.12 lakh with promises of marriage. Priya had posted her photos on a matrimonial app, where Mayilsamy, a farmer from Pollachi, showed interest in marrying her.
Priya and Mayilsamy started speaking over video calls from August 2023. During their conversations, Priya claimed her sister was ill and needed medical treatment. She persuaded Mayilsamy to send her money for the treatment. Over several months, Mayilsamy transferred a total of Rs 7.12 lakh in multiple installments. However, in March 2024, Priya went silent and cut off all communication.
Mayilsamy eventually realized that the residential address Priya had given him was fake. He lodged a complaint with the Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police, Dr. K. Karthikeyan, who ordered an investigation. The cybercrime police traced Priya using the address she provided in her bank passbook and arrested her on Saturday night. The police also seized her mobile phone.
Priya, who has been married multiple times before, was found to be in a live-in relationship with another man in Salem district. Her fraudulent activities highlight a growing trend of online marriage scams.