Hyderabad: Rachakonda cyber crime police successfully recovered Rs 70,01,788 of the Rs 1.58 crore defrauded from a 65-year-old woman by cybercriminals in a digital arrest scheme. The victim, Geeta Upadhyay, a resident of Uppal, was targeted by fraudsters posing as cybercrime officers.
On December 8, 2024, Geeta received a call on WhatsApp from an unknown number. The caller, Sunil Dutt Dubey, introduced himself as Mohit Sharma, a cybercrime officer from Mumbai. He falsely claimed that a SIM card issued in her name had been used for criminal activities, including harassment and sending vulgar content. He also fabricated an FIR (MH 1045/2024), alleging that her SIM card was involved in anti-social activities.
Dubey coerced Geeta into revealing her personal and bank account details under the threat of legal action. Over several phases, he extorted nearly Rs 1.58 crore, including fixed deposits, provident funds, and savings, from her accounts. He threatened to expose her involvement in the fake crime if she reported the matter.
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Realising she had been duped, Geeta lodged a complaint with the Rachakonda cybercrime police. ACP S Shiva Shankar led the investigation, and inspector Maqbool Jani and his team tracked the funds to ICICI Bank in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The stolen money was frozen, and Rs 70.01 lakh was recovered.
Rachakonda DCP Cybercrime Nagalakshmi and other senior officers lauded Inspector Maqbool and his team for their swift action. The Rachakonda cybercrime police have issued a public warning, advising citizens not to respond to unsolicited calls, messages, or links from unknown sources. They urged people to contact the 1930 toll-free helpline if they suspect any fraudulent activity.
