In a shocking case of sophisticated cyber fraud, a 74-year-old retired woman from a reputed national educational institution in Mumbai was cheated of a staggering Rs 4.62 crore. The fraudsters, posing as officers from the Delhi Crime Branch and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), threatened her with arrest in a fabricated money laundering case.
The Elaborate Deception: A Web of Lies and Threats
The ordeal began on October 11 last year, when the senior citizen received a WhatsApp video call from an unidentified person claiming to be from the Telecom Department. The caller falsely alleged that a sexual harassment case had been registered against her. When she denied any involvement, another individual, identifying himself as IPS officer Sushil Kumar Gautam from Delhi Police, took over the call.
This fake officer spun a complex tale, alleging that her Aadhaar card had been misused to open a bank account involved in money laundering activities worth Rs 6 crore. He insisted a money laundering case was filed against her name. Despite her protests of innocence, the fraudster escalated the threats, claiming a man named Sandeep Kumar was already arrested in the case and she could be next.
"He threatened her and asked her to answer his questions or they would come to her house to arrest her and her family members," the police report details. The accused issued a stern warning, instructing her not to disclose the so-called "investigation" to anyone, or else they too would face arrest.
The Financial Drain: Money Taken for 'Security Scrutiny'
After instilling deep fear, the con artists proceeded to extract detailed information about all her bank accounts, savings, and fixed deposits. A second fraudster, pretending to be a CBI officer, labeled it a sensitive case. Under immense psychological pressure and fearing arrest, the elderly woman complied when they ordered her to transfer all her money to them for a 'security procedure' and 'scrutiny', with a false promise of returning it once cleared.
Between October 11 last year and January 4 this year, the terrified victim transferred her life savings through 10 separate transactions, totaling Rs 4.62 crore, into various bank accounts provided by the criminals.
The Unraveling and Police Complaint
The scam only came to light when the woman, seeking a refund, was met with evasive replies and further demands for money. Growing suspicious, she finally looked up the contact number for Delhi Police online and called to inquire about the alleged IPS officer, Sushil Gautam. To her horror, she was informed that no officer by that name existed in the Delhi Crime Branch.
Realizing she had been cheated in an elaborate online scam, the septuagenarian approached the West Region Cyber Police Station in Mumbai on Tuesday and lodged a formal First Information Report (FIR) against the unidentified accused. The cyber police are now investigating the complex trail of digital transactions and communications.
This distressing incident highlights the alarming rise in cyber crimes targeting vulnerable senior citizens using fear and the impersonation of authoritative agencies. It serves as a critical reminder for the public to independently verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a law enforcement official over the phone and to never transfer money for "verification" purposes.
