The Instagram Faith Healer Fraud: How a 22-Year-Old Engineer Was Swindled Out of Rs 2 Lakh
In mid-April, a 22-year-old engineer with a B.Tech degree sat frustrated after months of failed job applications and rejections. While scrolling Instagram, she stumbled upon a page called 'All Problem Solved' promising faith healing. The comments were filled with praise for a 'Moulana ji' who allegedly resolved love, family, and financial troubles. Desperate, she messaged the number listed on the page.
Within three days, she lost Rs 2 lakh to a scam that Delhi Police later uncovered. On May 20, police arrested two men—Ganesh and Mandeep Singh—from a flat in Kharar, Mohali, Punjab. The duo posed as aides of a fictitious faith healer, 'Anwar Ali-Moulana ji', and demanded money for fake rituals. Initially, they asked for small sums, then escalated.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir said the network had been running for two to three years. The suspects admitted to cheating multiple people across India. Police recovered chats with nearly 2,000 individuals from states including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, with at least 30 confirming money transfers.
The victim, whose identity is protected, was traumatized and hospitalized after realizing she was cheated. She had not told her parents; only her brother knows. A police officer noted that the suspects exploited people's faith in peer babas, a common belief in India.
On April 23, the woman saw the Instagram page with a candle display picture and a number. She messaged: 'Mujhe aapka number Instagram se mila… kya aap meri help kar sakte hain?' She received a response from a woman who claimed Moulana ji had helped her. Then, a WhatsApp audio call from an elderly man, 'Anwar Ali Moulana ji', who called her 'beta' and asked for Rs 2,500 for a 'hawan' ritual, claiming her 'shani' was heavy. He also requested a photo of her right palm.
Over the following days, the scammers demanded more money, promising to solve her problems. The victim transferred a total of Rs 2 lakh before realizing she had been duped. Police continue to investigate the extent of the fraud network.
