A 73-year-old retired lecturer in Hyderabad fell victim to a “digital arrest” scam, losing a staggering Rs 45.5 lakh to cyber criminals posing as CBI officials. The incident came to light when Rachakonda cyber crime police initiated an investigation following a complaint filed by Ch Purshotham Sharma of Malkajgiri.
According to Sharma, the scam began on Nov 12 when he received a call from an individual claiming that a parcel containing banned drugs had been intercepted by authorities. The caller alleged that Sharma’s Aadhaar number was linked to the parcel, implicating him in a money laundering case. In a bid to avoid arrest, the caller provided a contact number for a purported CBI officer in Ahmedabad and instructed Sharma to cooperate.
To add a layer of authenticity, the person posing as the CBI officer appeared in a police uniform during a WhatsApp video call and threatened Sharma with immediate legal action if he failed to comply. Falling prey to the ruse, the retired lecturer shared his bank account details and transferred money through various digital payment platforms such as Google Pay, Paytm, net banking, and RTGS to multiple accounts as directed by the scammers.
In an attempt to appear legitimate, the fraudsters went to the extent of issuing fake receipts, purportedly from the Supreme Court and signed by the registrar, as confirmation of the payments made by Sharma. The transactions, carried out over several days, amounted to a hefty sum of Rs 45.5 lakh. It was only later that Sharma came to the realization that he had been duped and promptly approached the Rachakonda cyber crime police to report the incident.
Subsequently, based on Sharma’s complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the BNS and sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act, which deal with identity theft and cheating through personation. The investigation into this elaborate scam is ongoing as authorities work to track down the cyber criminals responsible for swindling the retired lecturer of his hard-earned savings.
This unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the prevalence of sophisticated cyber crimes that continue to target unsuspecting individuals, highlighting the importance of vigilance and caution when dealing with unknown callers or online transactions. As technology advances, so too do the tactics employed by cyber criminals, emphasizing the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and public awareness to prevent such scams in the future. It is crucial for individuals to remain cautious and skeptical of unsolicited calls or messages that prompt them to divulge personal information or make financial transactions, as scams like these can have devastating consequences for victims.