Cybercriminals duped a 78-year-old retired Central government employee from Hyderabad’s Srinagar Colony of ₹51 lakh in a shocking case of “digital arrest” fraud.
According to police, the victim received a call from a man posing as an Assistant Commissioner of Police from the Mumbai Crime Branch. The caller claimed that the pensioner’s mobile number had been used in serious crimes, including bomb blasts and kidnapping cases. He further alleged that multiple SIM cards had been issued in the victim’s name and even displayed fake notices from the CBI, accusing him of money laundering.
Under the guise of conducting an investigation, the fraudster kept the elderly man under “digital arrest” by continuously engaging him over a video call, preventing him from contacting anyone else. During the call, the accused managed to extract his bank details and convinced him to transfer nearly 95% of his savings, assuring that the money would be returned once the inquiry was completed.
Trusting the impostor’s words, the victim complied, only to realise later that he had fallen prey to a well-orchestrated cyber scam.
Fearing he might be implicated in criminal cases, the elderly victim ended up transferring ₹51 lakh to the fraudsters. It was only later that he realised he had been duped and subsequently approached the Cybercrime police to file a complaint.
A case has been registered, and an investigation is currently underway.
This incident marks the second such “digital arrest” fraud reported in Hyderabad within a week. Earlier, a 73-year-old woman lost ₹1.43 crore to cybercriminals who posed as police officials.
In that case, the woman received a call on October 22 from someone introducing himself as Akash Choudhary, an officer from the Gandhi Nagar police station in Bengaluru. The caller alleged that her Aadhaar card had been recovered from a criminal accused of trafficking and murdering 187 children, claiming that an FIR had been lodged against her.
To make the scam look convincing, the fraudster even displayed a fake arrest warrant and a forged CBI order freezing her bank accounts. Terrified at the prospect of being arrested, the woman transferred her money to the conman, only to realise later that she had been tricked.
Earlier this week, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar alerted the public after cybercriminals created fake WhatsApp accounts using his photo as the display picture. The impostors were reportedly sending messages to people, attempting to extort money by misusing his identity. Sajjanar urged citizens to stay cautious, avoid responding to such messages, and immediately block and report any suspicious numbers.
( With Inputs From IANS )
