Suave ex-labourer convincedwomen he was Mysuru royalty

Police say Siddharth alias Sandy, who began life as a plantation labourer, went on matrimonial sites and floored his victims with an American accent and fake royal credentials

Police say Siddharth posted these random pictures on matrimonial sites and gave women the impression that he hailed from an affluent background and looked like a model.

Police are marvelling at the suaveness of a confidence trickster who began life as a tea estate labourer.

Siddharth Urs, alias Sandy, dropped out even before he reached high school. Today, he speaks 10 languages, including Tibetan and Spanish. He posed as a scion of the Mysuru royal family and cheated several women online, according to the police.

Earlier this week, the cyber crime cell of the Whitefield police division arrested him, soon after one of the women allegedly cheated by him lodged a complaint.

The Mysuru resident, who also goes by the name of Muttu K and Vinay K, allegedly created a matrimonial profile and cheated three women of at least Rs 42 lakhs in a span of six months.

A resident of Bylakuppe, near Mysuru, Siddharth was a labourer at a tea plantation. Investigating officer Guruprasad G says, he failed in Class 7, and worked on the plantation just like his mother and sister, before becoming a tourist guide.

Siddharth Urs

“He first creates a profile on Facebook and links it to a matrimonial site. He then chooses a male model’s photo and creates an impressive story around it. He stalks the victims for days on social media and studies their behaviour online before he approaches them,” he says.

Siddharth speaks English with an American accent, and allegedly convinces the women that he has studied in the US. Police say he had rented a room at a homestay in Bylakuppe at Rs 2,000 a day and carried out his criminal activities from there.

“The first victim was from southern Bengaluru. He cheated her of Rs 19 lakh. The second was from the south-eastern side and was cheated of Rs 16 lakh. The third and most recent case was that of a woman who gave him Rs 7 lakh,” says Guruprasad.

Siddharth showed the women a group picture of the Mysore royal family and convinced the women he was the child in it.

Siddharth would call using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) number. After establishing familiarity, he would send the women gifts. Once he was sure he had gained their confidence, he would ask them for money.

“In one instance, he said that he had to urgently make a payment at his coffee estate in Kodagu and currency conversion would take time. On another occasion, he cited a medical emergency in the family,” he says.

Siddarth would win over his victims in less than a month. He was a fast learner and quickly understood the strengths and weaknesses of the victims. He would play heavily on their weaknesses, police say.

Investigators suspect he gambled away almost all the money he took from the women. They have dug out his profiles on websites such as Sangam and Kannada Matrimony.

Police have confiscated an iPhone 6 and an iPhone 12 Pro Max, a Samsung Galaxy Note9, and debit cards from different banks for about half a dozen accounts.

DON’T FALL FOR SLICK TALK, DON’T SHARE INTIMATE PICS

A senior officer with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) says cyber criminals create multiple fake accounts on social media and target at least two or three victims at a time. “They begin with a friendly chat and get into more intimate talk as the friendship progresses,” says the officer. Why are so many women falling into their trap? “We have noticed that social interaction within the family has reduced, and people spend a lot of time online,” he says. Another senior officer warns people against sharing personal and private pictures online. “This gives the cyber criminal an entry into your personal life and helps him develop a modus operandi. And people should never transfer money to those they have only met online,” he says.