Hyderabad: A 65-year-old man was allegedly duped of Rs 35 lakh on Saturday, April 27, by fraudsters posing as Mumbai police and CBI.
The victim, a retired employee from Hyderabad, received a call from the fraudsters, informing him that a mobile number linked to his Aadhar card was involved in sending illegal advertising and harassing text messages to the public.
Police said that the fraudsters threatened to register a case against him under Section 67A, Section 354A, Section 499, and Section 509 of the IPC.
They claimed to block the victim’s original mobile number and instructed him to report immediately to the Mumbai police station. However, the victim explained to the fraudsters that he was not involved in any case and that the number they mentioned did not belong to him.
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Later, the victim received a Skype video call from a fake CBI profile.
Despite reiterating his innocence and his location in Hyderabad, the fraudsters continued to interrogate him, insisting on his cooperation to clear his name from the alleged crime.
Under pressure and believing it was a genuine investigation, the victim disclosed all his details to the fraudsters.
The fraudsters then mentally threatened the victim, warning him not to leave his house before the investigation was complete, lest he be arrested. And “to demonstrate his compliance,” the victim was instructed to transfer his entire savings, totalling Rs 34,00,000 (thirty-four lakhs only), to a government account via RTGS.
The police said the fraudsters assured him that the amount would be refunded within 3 to 4 days after the investigation.
Despite the initial transfer, the fraudsters continued to contact the victim, attempting to extort more money. They even suggested that the victim sell his wife’s jewellery and deposit the proceeds. The victim realized that this was a well-planned fraud, prompting him to file a complaint.
