In a recent incident in Mumbai, a 78-year-old woman, who happens to be the sister-in-law of a prominent builder in South Mumbai, fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam. Despite the various awareness campaigns conducted by security agencies to alert the public about cyber frauds, individuals continue to be lured into these traps. The woman was extorted a staggering amount of Rs 1.51 crore by fraudsters who posed as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from the Delhi Special Police.
The ordeal began on December 5 when the elderly woman enlisted the services of a courier company to send food items to her daughter in the USA. The very next day, she received a call from a man claiming to be Amit Kumar from the courier company. He informed her that a parcel in her name had been seized by the SIT in Delhi and contained illegal items, including her Aadhaar card, expired passports, SBI credit cards, and contraband like MDMA drugs and USD 2,000 in cash. The fraudsters went on to accuse her of being involved in a money laundering case, implicating individuals such as Mohammad Nawab Malik and Jaffar Siddiqui as co-conspirators.
Subsequent calls from individuals posing as police officers and officials from the Cyber Crime Branch and Finance Department intensified the pressure on the victim, threatening her with arrest and legal action. To make their scam seem more legitimate, the fraudsters even staged video calls where they pretended to be police officers and presented false warrants and investigation reports on WhatsApp.
Under duress and fearing legal repercussions, the victim succumbed to the demands of the fraudsters and shared her personal banking information. Over the course of a few days, she transferred a whopping sum of Rs 1.51 crore to the accounts specified by the scammers, believing it was necessary to safeguard her assets during the supposed investigation. It was only during a casual conversation with a close relative that she realized she had fallen prey to a cyber fraud scheme and decided to report the matter to the police. She promptly reached out to the Cybercrime Police Helpline at 1930, where her complaint was lodged, and the case was subsequently transferred to the South Cyber Cell of the Mumbai Police.
Investigators overseeing the case have noted that the fraudsters operated through multiple bank accounts, swiftly siphoning off the money as soon as it was transferred by the victim. There are suspicions of a well-coordinated cybercrime syndicate behind this elaborate scam, and efforts are underway to trace the beneficiary accounts and phone numbers used in the operation.
Cybercrime experts have emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant against such scams, particularly those targeting elderly individuals. They advise the public to verify the authenticity of claims made by unknown callers, refrain from sharing sensitive information, and promptly report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the perils posed by cyber fraud and the necessity for individuals to exercise caution and vigilance when engaging with unknown entities online. It also highlights the need for continuous awareness campaigns and education on cybersecurity to empower citizens in safeguarding themselves against such fraudulent activities.