In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a former director of a large corporate in Mumbai has been duped of a staggering Rs 25 crore by conmen posing as police and CBI officers. Despite the victim filing a complaint with the cyber cell of the Mumbai police, no progress has been made in the investigation even after two weeks.
The elaborate scam began on February 6 when the fraudsters contacted the victim, claiming her Aadhar card and phone numbers were linked to a money laundering case. Posing as “Pradip Sawant” and “Rajesh Mishra” from the police and CBI respectively, the scammers threatened the victim with criminal action and coerced her into transferring large sums of money into their account.
The victim, a senior citizen, was manipulated into believing that her bank accounts had been compromised and that she was under investigation. Over the course of two months, she transferred Rs 25 crore in multiple transactions as instructed by the fraudsters, including liquidating her mutual funds, selling shares, and taking out a gold loan.
The scam finally unraveled on April 3 when the victim was asked to collect a receipt from the Andheri police station, only to realize she had been deceived. She promptly filed an FIR with the cyber police, who are now investigating the case.
Authorities are baffled by how the educated woman, who held a high position in a company, fell victim to such a sophisticated scam. They are looking into the bank accounts used in the fraud and are not ruling out the involvement of bank officials in the elaborate scheme. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of cyber fraud and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding personal information and finances.