In February 2020, Surya, a lady, was involved in an accident that left her unable to work. She was struggling with a debt of over Rs 5,00,000, and as a final resort, she chose to sell her kidney. She searched the internet for potential purchasers despite being aware that kidney sales are forbidden in India.
According to an Al Jazeera investigation, Surya found a variety of websites by searching “kidney” and “sell” across a number of online search engines, including Facebook. She left her contact information on a Facebook group she came on while on a desperate search in the hopes of finding a solution. She soon got a call from a man who introduced himself as Dr. Sandy and said that the Gitroh Medical Centre in Ghaziabad, close to New Delhi, was interested in buying her kidney for the startling sum of 10 million rupees ($122,000). This sum appeared to be a lifeline that could maintain her family for many years while allowing her to pay off her debts.
The con artist posing as a doctor asked payment for a donor card. However, she found the phone number for the MOHAN Foundation (Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network), which encourages organ donations and issues donor cards, before completing the final payment. She learned from them that those who wish to give their organs are not required to pay for donor cards.
Once, a con artist acting as Dr. Karan requested registration money before starting the kidney sale. The con artist coldly responded when the victim expressed anxiety about having one kidney, “You can live as long as life offers you.” A second victim paid for a phoney living donor card but then lost touch with the con artists.
Surya and other victims were inspired to tell the Chennai police about their experiences by the MOHAN Foundation. Surya made the decision to share her experience in order to spread awareness and stop others from making the same mistake, despite her initial reservations about alerting the authorities.
Facebook, a popular social media site in India, has developed into a key location for the illicit organ trade. On the platform, desperate merchants and customers look for optimism, while con artists prey on their gullibility.
