Rs 43.5 Lakh Lost in Digital Arrest Scam: Pune Woman Scammed by Fake Mumbai Crime Branch Officers
Pune, 30th December 2024: A 39-year-old woman from Sus has fallen victim to a cyber scam, losing Rs 43.5 lakh after being tricked into a “digital arrest” by fraudsters pretending to be Mumbai crime branch officers. The incident took place on December 4, and the woman filed a complaint with the cyber police after initially reporting the case to the Bavdhan police last week.
According to police, the victim, who works for a New Delhi-based tech company, received a phone call on December 4 from someone claiming to be a courier official. The caller falsely informed her that her Aadhaar details were being misused for money laundering activities and an attempt to send drugs to Iran. “When the woman denied any involvement, the caller connected her to someone posing as a Mumbai crime branch officer,” a police officer stated.
The fraudster instructed the woman to download an app and engage in a video call under the pretense of verifying her bank transactions. During the call, the impersonator collected her bank details and advised her to apply for a pre-approved loan of Rs 30 lakh. He also directed her to transfer Rs 5 lakh to a bank account for further processing.
The woman complied, believing the situation to be legitimate. “The suspect promised that her money would be refunded once the verification was complete,” the officer added. However, after waiting for over an hour, the woman realized she had been scammed when the suspect disconnected the video call.
Realizing she had been deceived, the woman approached the police and filed a complaint. “We are investigating the case and working to trace the fraudsters,” the officer confirmed.
