Mumbai Woman, 72, Loses ₹32 Lakh in Sophisticated Cyber Fraud
In a disturbing incident highlighting the vulnerability of senior citizens to online scams, a 72-year-old woman from Mulund, Mumbai, was allegedly defrauded of ₹32.8 lakh by cybercriminals. The fraudsters employed a "digital arrest" scheme, a tactic that is becoming increasingly common, to instill fear and manipulate the victim into transferring large sums of money.
The incident began on November 11th when the woman’s husband received a phone call from a person impersonating an officer named Sandeep Roy from the Colaba Crime Branch. The scammer falsely claimed that their bank account was involved in money laundering transactions worth ₹2.5 crore, and that ₹25 lakh had been deposited as commission. Despite the couple's denial, the caller persisted with the interrogation, skillfully extracting personal and financial information.
The fraudster learned that the couple had ₹37 lakh in their bank account and possessed gold ornaments. Exploiting the woman's fear of legal repercussions, he instructed her to transfer ₹32.8 lakh to a specified bank account, claiming it was essential for the ongoing investigation. Under duress, the woman complied and transferred the funds via RTGS, even sending the payment slip to the scammer on WhatsApp.
It wasn't until November 14th, when the woman narrated the ordeal to her son-in-law, that the scam was exposed. He immediately recognized it as a cyber fraud, explaining that "digital arrests" are not legitimate and that the police do not conduct interrogations online.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the family promptly reported the incident to the East Region Cyber Cell, leading to the registration of a case against the unknown fraudsters under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Police have initiated efforts to trace the destination bank account and identify the account holders.
This incident underscores the importance of public awareness regarding cyber fraud, particularly among senior citizens who may be less familiar with online security measures. The police are urging citizens to be cautious of unsolicited calls from individuals claiming to be law enforcement officers and to verify any such claims independently. Law enforcement officials emphasize that they never demand financial transfers over the phone.
The investigation is currently underway. This case mirrors a similar incident from earlier in the year, where a Kandivali resident was duped of ₹32 lakh through a comparable "digital arrest" scam. In that instance, the cyber police arrested six individuals who were involved in creating fraudulent accounts to receive and transfer the stolen funds.
