Government Official in Andhra Pradesh Loses Rs 2 Lakh in ACB Impersonation Cyber Scam

In a scheme eerily similar to the plot of the film Special26, cybercriminals successfully targeted a government official in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district. The victim, Sabbithi Srinivas, who serves as the Mogalturu Sub-Registrar, was defrauded of Rs 2 lakh by individuals falsely claiming to be Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials.

The perpetrators contacted Srinivas and threatened an imminent ACB raid on his office unless he paid Rs 3 lakh. Despite Srinivas maintaining that he was "functioning honestly and had nothing to fear," he felt compelled to comply given recent legitimate ACB operations across the state.

Under pressure, the official transferred Rs 1 lakh via PhonePe and instructed his assistant to send another Rs 1 lakh, totaling Rs 2 lakh in payments to the fraudsters.

The criminals continued to press for the remaining Rs 1 lakh, which ultimately aroused suspicion in Srinivas. He decided to verify the demand by contacting an actual ACB Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

Upon speaking with the genuine ACB official, Srinivas discovered he had fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber extortion scheme. He promptly filed a formal complaint with the Mogalturu Police Station.

Local police have registered the case and launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the cybercriminals responsible for the impersonation and fraud.