78-year-old woman duped of Rs 1.5 crore by fraudsters posing as police officers | Mumbai News

Mumbai: A 78-year-old homemaker, who is the sister-in-law of a reputed builder in south Mumbai became the latest victim of cyber fraud and lost Rs 1.5 crore. The fraudsters posed as members of a Special Investigation Team of Delhi Special Police and threatened her with criminal action saying she was being probed for money laundering. The fraudsters told her that they have intercepted a courier addressed to her which contained 2000 mg of mephedrone and 2,000 US dollars.
On Dec 5, she sought the services of a courier company to send food items to her daughter in the US. The following day, she received a call from a man identifying himself as Amit Kumar, employed with a courier company. The caller alleged that the parcel contained her Aadhaar card, expired passports, SBI credit cards, and contraband, including 2000 mg of MDMA drugs and USD 2000 in cash. They further implicated her in a money laundering case along with two others as conspirators
In subsequent calls, other individuals—posing as police officers and officials from the Cyber Crime Branch and Finance Department—pressured the victim, threatening her with arrest and legal action. “To add legitimacy to their scam, the fraudsters staged video calls where they appeared to be police officers and presented false warrants and investigation reports on her WhatsApp,” said an officer.
The complainant was coerced into sharing her personal banking information. Over the course of a few days, she transferred Rs 1.51 crore to the accounts provided by the fraudsters, believing it was required for “securing” her assets during the investigation. It was only during a general discussion with her close relative that she realised she had fallen victim to cyber fraud and decided to bring it to the notice of the police. She immediately reported the incident to the Cybercrime Police Helpline at 1930, where her complaint was registered, and the case was transferred to the South Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police.
An official said that the fraudsters operated through multiple bank accounts and siphoned off the money as soon as she transferred it. Cybercrime experts have reiterated the importance of vigilance against such scams, especially targeting elderly individuals. They urge citizens to verify the authenticity of claims made by callers, avoid sharing sensitive information, and report suspicious activity
Mumbai: A 78-year-old homemaker, who is the sister-in-law of a reputed builder in south Mumbai became the latest victim of cyber fraud and lost Rs 1.5 crore. The fraudsters posed as members of a Special Investigation Team of Delhi Special Police and threatened her with criminal action saying she was being probed for money laundering. The fraudsters told her that they have intercepted a courier addressed to her which contained 2000 mg of mephedrone and 2,000 US dollars.
On Dec 5, she sought the services of a courier company to send food items to her daughter in the US. The following day, she received a call from a man identifying himself as Amit Kumar, employed with a courier company. The caller alleged that the parcel contained her Aadhaar card, expired passports, SBI credit cards, and contraband, including 2000 mg of MDMA drugs and USD 2000 in cash. They further implicated her in a money laundering case along with two others as conspirators
In subsequent calls, other individuals—posing as police officers and officials from the Cyber Crime Branch and Finance Department—pressured the victim, threatening her with arrest and legal action. “To add legitimacy to their scam, the fraudsters staged video calls where they appeared to be police officers and presented false warrants and investigation reports on her WhatsApp,” said an officer.
The complainant was coerced into sharing her personal banking information. Over the course of a few days, she transferred Rs 1.51 crore to the accounts provided by the fraudsters, believing it was required for “securing” her assets during the investigation. It was only during a general discussion with her close relative that she realised she had fallen victim to cyber fraud and decided to bring it to the notice of the police. She immediately reported the incident to the Cybercrime Police Helpline at 1930, where her complaint was registered, and the case was transferred to the South Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police.
An official said that the fraudsters operated through multiple bank accounts and siphoned off the money as soon as she transferred it. Cybercrime experts have reiterated the importance of vigilance against such scams, especially targeting elderly individuals. They urge citizens to verify the authenticity of claims made by callers, avoid sharing sensitive information, and report suspicious activity