A 77-year-old woman from south Mumbai became the victim of a month-long digital scam, losing nearly Rs 4 crore. The digital arrest was orchestrated by fraudsters posing as high-ranking law enforcement officials, convincing the elderly homemaker that she was involved in a fake money laundering case.
This is yet another shocking case of online fraud in the city, highlighting the increasing threat of such crimes.
The Mumbai woman cheated of Rs 4 crore first encountered the scam when she received a WhatsApp call claiming that a parcel she had supposedly sent to Taiwan had been intercepted by authorities.
The caller insisted that the package contained passports, a bank card, clothes, and illegal drugs, claiming her Aadhaar details were linked to the crime.
To make the scam more convincing, the criminals connected her with a man posing as an IPS officer named Anand Rana. He demanded details of her bank accounts, pretending to investigate her supposed involvement in money laundering.
Soon after, another fraudster, using the name IPS officer George Mathew from the finance department, joined the call.
He convinced her to transfer money into shared bank accounts, promising it would be returned if she was innocent.
The con artists even sent her a fake notice with a Crime Branch seal to add credibility. They demanded that she keep her video call active 24/7, threatening her each time the connection was lost.
This digital surveillance tactic effectively kept the woman isolated and under constant pressure, leading to her transferring a total of nearly Rs 4 crore.
During this digital scam, the Mumbai woman cheated of Rs 4 crore was manipulated step by step, with threats and false evidence. Her video call surveillance lasted for a full month, during which the scammers used fear tactics to drain her savings.
The Mumbai Crime Branch is now investigating the online scam, suspecting that the crime was carefully planned with detailed strategies to deceive and isolate the victim.
This case is a stark reminder of how advanced digital scams have become, preying on fear and confusion. Authorities are urging the public to be cautious of such online fraud, especially scams involving impersonation of officials.
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