Pune: Senior Woman Duped Of Rs 2.57 Crore In Cyber Scam Under ‘Digital Arrest’; Investigation Underway

Deccan, 1st April 2025: A 60-year-old woman from Pune’s Deccan area became the latest victim of an elaborate cyber scam that left her defrauded of ₹2.57 crore. The fraudsters, impersonating senior police officials, kept her under psychological pressure for a month, convincing her that she was under a ‘digital arrest’ in connection with a money laundering case.

The ordeal began when the woman received a WhatsApp video call from an unknown number. On the other end was a man dressed in a police uniform, introducing himself as Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Pise from Gangapur Police Station in Nashik. He falsely claimed that her bank account was linked to a major money laundering case and that her son’s name was also involved. He warned her that an arrest warrant could soon be issued against her.

To strengthen their deception, the fraudsters showed her a photograph of a notorious criminal named Naresh Goyal and alleged that transactions had taken place between her account and his. They claimed that her bank accounts needed verification and that she was not allowed to disclose the matter to anyone, threatening her with immediate arrest if she did.

Panicked and intimidated, the woman followed their instructions, transferring a total of ₹2.57 crore into accounts provided by the fraudsters between 15th February and 12th March. She endured constant psychological pressure, receiving daily threats and new directives.

The deception was finally exposed when she spoke to her son, who resides in the United States. Realizing the fraud, he immediately advised her to approach the cyber police. Acting swiftly, the Crime Branch, under the guidance of Additional Commissioner Shailesh Balkawade and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Vivek Masal, launched an investigation. Senior Police Inspector Swapnali Shinde from the Cyber Police Station is leading the probe.

According to Swapnali Shinde, preliminary investigations suggest that the scam was operated by a network of cyber criminals based in Kerala, Chennai, and other locations. Several bank accounts linked to the fraud have already been frozen.