An elderly woman from South Mumbai has fallen victim to a cyber scam, losing ₹1.5 crore to fraudsters posing as Delhi Police officers, according to a report by ToI. The 78-year-old was deceived into believing she was implicated in criminal activities such as money laundering and drug trafficking.
The incident began after the woman sent food to her daughter in the US via a courier service. The following day, she received a call from an individual claiming to be from the courier company, alleging that her package contained suspicious items, including her Aadhaar card, expired passports, credit cards, illegal drugs, and $2,000 in cash. The caller accused her of collaborating with criminals.
Over the subsequent days, the woman was contacted by individuals masquerading as police officers and government officials. They even conducted video calls wearing uniforms and presented fake documents, such as arrest warrants, to lend credibility to their claims.
Convinced by the scammers, the woman shared her bank details, believing it was required for the "investigation." Consequently, she transferred ₹1.5 crore to the accounts specified by the fraudsters.
The deception was uncovered after the woman discussed the situation with a family member, prompting her to report the incident to the Cybercrime Police Helpline. The case is now under investigation by the Mumbai Police, who noted that the scammers transferred the money through multiple accounts to obscure its trail.
Experts advise caution, particularly for older adults, to prevent such scams. They recommend verifying the legitimacy of calls from unknown sources, refraining from sharing personal or bank details over the phone, and swiftly reporting any suspicious activity to the police or a cybercrime helpline.