Elderly Kolkata Woman Loses Rs 78 Lakh in Sophisticated Phone Scam: Three Arrested in Gujarat

Three individuals from Gujarat were apprehended for allegedly swindling an elderly Kolkata woman out of more than Rs 78 lakh by convincing her that a parcel addressed to her contained illicit substances.

The Cyber Crime Wing of the Kolkata Police arrested the suspects from various locations across Gujarat, according to officials.

Maniktala resident Deepanwita Dhar received an automated call on March 9, 2024, claiming that a parcel in her name had been cancelled. Believing it was related to an online purchase, she contacted the "customer care" number provided in the message.

The perpetrators, who identified themselves as Mumbai Police officers, informed her that 200 grams of contraband had been discovered in a package supposedly sent by her to someone in Mumbai. When she denied involvement, the scammers alleged her Aadhaar details had been misused and her bank account was under investigation.

An officer explained, "They directed her to deposit a security amount with the Reserve Bank of India and warned her against discussing this matter with anyone."

The victim transferred Rs 78.3 lakh to the bank accounts provided by the suspects.

Upon realizing she had been defrauded, she reported the incident to law enforcement, who followed the money trail and located the suspects in Gujarat.

Police officials confirmed that investigations are continuing to identify additional members of the fraud network.