New Delhi, June 20 -- An ASHA worker from Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur fell prey to an elaborate lottery scam that left her not only financially devastated but also psychologically scarred. Pushpalata Jharia, 36, from the Bargi police station area, was lured by the promise of diamonds, gold, and a Rs.10 lakh cash prize - a lie that spiralled into months of emotional manipulation, financial ruin, and a staged kidnapping.

Pushpalata, who balances her role as a health worker with raising two children and supporting a husband doing odd jobs, had only ever believed that rewards came from hard work. But a single phone call in March changed the course of her life.

The call came from a foreign number via a VPN line. The caller claimed Pushpalata h...