In a shocking case of cybercrime, a couple from Raipur Khurd was allegedly placed under 'virtual house arrest' and cheated of a massive sum of Rs 38 lakh by fraudsters impersonating officials from the Mumbai Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The scammers threatened the victims with arrest in a fabricated money laundering case to extort money.
The Elaborate Web of Deception
The terrifying ordeal began on January 7 around 5:50 PM when the male complainant received a call from an unknown number. The caller, claiming to be from the Colaba Police Station in Mumbai, alleged that the victim's Aadhaar card had been misused in a serious money laundering case. The fraudster issued a severe warning: cooperate or face imminent arrest and seizure of property.
To make the threat appear genuine, the accused escalated their tactics. They began making WhatsApp video calls, appearing in police uniforms. They even shared fake arrest warrants and forged documents with the couple. The intimidation extended to the victim's wife, who also received threatening video calls. The pressure intensified when another person called from a different number, introducing himself as the 'CBI director' to further intimidate the terrified couple.
Days of Fear and 'House Arrest'
From the evening of January 7 until the evening of January 8, the victims were subjected to continuous mental harassment and kept under constant surveillance through relentless phone and video calls. The fraudsters instructed them not to step out of their house and to follow every command, effectively holding them captive in their own home through fear.
Succumbing to this intense pressure, the victim, Krishan Chand, transferred the entire amount of Rs 38 lakh from his Canara Bank account. The transfer was made via RTGS and cheque from his home branch in Zirakpur, Punjab, to bank accounts specified by the accused. The police noted that the scammers used multiple mobile numbers and posed at different times as officers from Colaba Police Station, CBI officials, and bank authorities.
Police Investigation and Public Warning
After realizing they had been cheated, the couple approached the Sector-17 Cyber Crime Police Station and lodged a formal complaint. Acting swiftly, the police registered a case against unknown accused. Officials confirmed that a technical analysis of the bank accounts, mobile numbers, and WhatsApp video calls used in the crime is currently underway.
Senior police officers have issued a stern warning to the public. They emphasize that no government agency, including the police or CBI, arrests people through phone or video calls. "Such threats are completely fake," a senior officer stated, urging citizens to remain vigilant and not fall prey to calls from individuals claiming to be government or law enforcement officials demanding money.
