Hyderabad: Man claiming to be plasma donor dupes families in need

HYDERABAD: A man claiming to be a plasma donor has been duping desperate families with the promise of helping them. Sandeep Reddy, the name by which the person goes, approaches people on social media asking for travel costs, once the amount is transferred, he ‘disappears’.
Speaking to TOI, Ashwini Dev, an Amazon employee, recounted her experience. “I had put out a request for plasma donors on social media for my grandmother who was ailing. Sandeep Reddy contacted me and volunteered to donate. He asked us for Rs 2,500 for travel charges, which we agreed to.”
Dev said the money was not enough for Reddy, who called again saying the amount sent to him had been debited, since he had a negative balance. “He asked for Rs 2,500 more. Even after we made the second transfer, Reddy did not show up,” she said.
The Jillelaguda resident said it was the conversation that followed later in the day that was shocking. When I told him that he was making brisk ‘business’ by duping poor people, he responded saying: “I’m a hacker”.
On being told he will be caught, he said: “Aa details tho 1% kuda nannu catch cheyyalevu (with those details there is not even 1% chance of you catching me).”
Prerana Appineni too has been hoodwinked by the same person. “Sandeep Reddy has defrauded my family as well. He said he could donate plasma to my father, we sent him money for travel expenses but he did not show and eventually asked for more money. Please help us stop him @hydcitypolice,” said the US resident who is back in India temporarily. Appineni too lost Rs 5,000. Both Dev and Appineni tagged the Hyderabad Police on Twitter. They did not file a complaint because as they have been busy dealing with ailing family memebrs at home and the amount lost was not huge.
Speaking to TOI, Prathyusha Vangala, who had apprehensions about Reddy, said: “We were looking for a donor for my sister’s father-in-law. Reddy called us and said he was ready but needed money for breakfast and travel. Even though we told him we would give him the amount as soon as he gets off the vehicle at the hospital, he refused. We were apprehensive and did not pay him anything.”
Reacting to the incidents on Tuesday evening, Cyber Crimes PS Hyd City Police (@CyberCrimeshyd) on Twitter asked the affected people to contact them. ACP cyber crime KVM Prasad said: “We have not got any written or verbal complaint yet. Once we do, we will follow up and investigate the matter.”