Pune: Kharadi Resident Loses Rs 20 Lakh to Cybercrooks After Digital Arrest Threat
Kharadi, 17th February 2025: A 59-year-old resident of Kharadi fell victim to an elaborate cybercrime scheme, losing Rs 20 lakh to fraudsters who impersonated CBI officers. The scam, which spanned from April 2023 to January 2, involved the crooks threatening the victim with arrest in a money laundering case.
The victim, a retired professional from a private company, approached the police on Sunday to report the incident. Senior Inspector Sanjay Chavan shared details of the case, stating, “The victim had been digitally arrested twice over the past two years by the perpetrators.”
According to the police, the fraudsters made several calls to the victim, posing as CBI officials investigating a money laundering case filed in January 2023 at the Barakhamba police station in New Delhi. The scammers also sent the victim a forged arrest warrant to further intimidate him.
The police revealed that the criminals repeatedly threatened to arrest the victim and tarnish his reputation. They made multiple video calls, assuring him that they could help him by removing his name from the case and treating him as a witness, but only if he paid them money.
In fear of being implicated, the victim transferred money to the fraudsters, who provided details of four different bank accounts for the transactions. After months of distress, the victim finally confided in his family members about the situation in January. Following advice from friends, he approached the police for help.
