Ghatkopar Senior Citizen Loses ₹7.7 Lakh to Fake CBI Officer Scam

A 69-year-old resident of Ghatkopar, Mumbai, was allegedly duped of ₹7.72 lakh by cybercriminals who posed as officials of the Delhi Crime Branch and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The fraudsters claimed that a Hong Kong bank account had been opened in the senior citizen's name, with a deposit of ₹64 crore. They also claimed that the victim had received ₹2.50 crore as commission from the alleged transaction.

The accused, who introduced themselves as Police Inspector Pradeep Sharma from the Delhi Crime Branch-CBI, contacted the victim, Lalbabu Jugal Singh, through a WhatsApp call on August 22. They told Singh that he was under investigation in connection with the alleged Hong Kong account and threatened him with arrest.

The fraudsters subsequently made a video call and connected Singh to another person dressed as a senior police officer. Despite Singh's denial of having any account outside India or receiving money from any such transaction, the accused sent him a purported SBI letter and examined his passbook over a video call.

They then claimed that Singh had failed to provide satisfactory information and told him that an arrest warrant was being prepared. The accused allegedly showed Singh what appeared to be an arrest warrant before disconnecting the call, leaving him frightened.

Later, the fraudsters contacted Singh again and instructed him to transfer his fixed-deposit funds to an account for 'verification'. Acting on their instructions, Singh broke his fixed deposit on August 24 and transferred ₹7.7 lakh through RTGS to the bank account provided by the accused.

The accused allegedly told Singh that the money would be returned only after his account was verified and the case was closed. They continued calling him regularly and allegedly took his 'attendance' as part of the fake investigation.

However, when Singh tried contacting the accused on September 2 and September 5, he received no response. He later approached his bank with the purported SBI letter and discovered that he had been duped.

The Pantnagar police have registered a case against unidentified callers and the holders of the beneficiary bank accounts under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act. Further investigation is underway.

This incident highlights the importance of being cautious when receiving unsolicited calls or messages, especially those that claim to be from government agencies or financial institutions. It is essential to verify the authenticity of such claims before taking any action.

The Mumbai police have been cracking down on such scams, and citizens are advised to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

In recent times, there has been a rise in such scams, where fraudsters pose as government officials or financial institutions to dupe unsuspecting citizens. It is crucial for citizens to be aware of these scams and take necessary precautions to protect themselves.

The case is currently under investigation, and the police are working to track down the accused and recover the lost amount.

The incident serves as a reminder to citizens to be cautious and vigilant when dealing with unsolicited calls or messages, and to always verify the authenticity of claims before taking any action.