Shave your head, get Rs 15,000: 3 Tamil Nadu women duped with 'new disease' scam
Three women in Tamil Nadu's Salem district shaved their heads after falling prey to a scam in which a fraudster, posing as a government official
Three women in Tamil Nadu's Salem district shaved their heads after falling prey to a scam in which a fraudster, posing as a government official, promised a Rs 15,000 incentive to women who underwent tonsure to protect themselves from a supposed new infectious disease. The women, who spoke with India Today, said that the ordeal started when one of them received a phone call from a man who introduced himself as a government official. The caller addressed her by name and provided details about her family members to gain her confidence.
Read Full Story He then went on to say that a new infectious disease, very similar to COVID-19, had been spreading through human hair. He then asserted that to prevent such a disease, one needs to go through a tonsure process and cited some false examples of other countries where people allegedly shaved their heads to keep themselves safe. The scammer further mentioned that the Tamil Nadu government had decided to offer financial assistance to encourage the practice. He said that women who would shave their heads would receive Rs 15,000 and school and college-going girls would receive Rs 45,000 along with a laptop for tonsuring.
In addition to this, he said that men would receive Rs 6,000. The caller also said that only a limited number of beneficiaries had been selected from the village and urged residents to spread the information among their relatives. He instructed them to complete the tonsure before government officials supposedly arrived the following afternoon to distribute the incentive, warning that only those who had already shaved their heads would receive the money. Believing the claims, nearly 20 villagers prepared to undergo tonsure. Three women went ahead and shaved their heads, convinced they would receive the promised government assistance and protect themselves from the alleged disease.
The scam came to light when the women later tried to contact the caller regarding the promised payment. His mobile phone had been switched off, leaving them to realise they had been deceived. The remaining villagers immediately abandoned their plans after learning that the scheme was fake. Ends
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