In India’s city of Hyderabad, cybercriminals trapped a 78-year-old retired government employee in a “digital arrest” scam and deprived him of Rs5.1 million.
According to police, a fraudster called the victim posing as an ACP from the Mumbai Crime Branch and claimed that his mobile number was used in bomb blast and kidnapping cases.
Through a video call, the suspect kept the victim under “online custody,” did not allow him to contact anyone, and obtained his bank details.
He was threatened that if he did not transfer 95 percent of the amount in his account, legal action would be taken against him. Out of fear, the man transferred the money but later realized he had been deceived.
Police have registered a case and started investigations. This is the second such incident within a week; earlier, a 73-year-old woman was also defrauded of Rs14.3 million.
The Indian media has reported that the Mumbai Cyber Police have arrested two members of a cybercrime syndicate accused of defrauding senior citizens by pretending to be high-ranking police and investigation officers. The suspects allegedly intimidated victims with threats of arrest and fabricated money-laundering charges.
