72-Year-Old Mumbai Woman Loses Rs 32.8 Lakh to Police Impersonators in Sophisticated Cyber Scam

The incident came to light when the elderly woman shared her experience with her son-in-law, who promptly urged her to report the matter to authorities.

Mumbai:

A 72-year-old resident of Mumbai has fallen victim to scammers, losing Rs 32.8 lakh in a sophisticated fraud scheme involving fake criminal case threats, police officials reported on Friday.

According to the victim, who resides in the Mulund suburb, the fraud began when her husband received a call from an individual claiming to be an official from the "Colaba Crime Branch."

The impersonator alleged that transactions amounting to Rs 2.5 crore related to money laundering activities had occurred through their bank account, with Rs 25 lakh supposedly deposited as commission. The caller demanded family information while cautioning them against disclosing the conversation to anyone, threatening arrest if they did so.

The following day, another fraudster, dressed as a police officer, initiated contact with the elderly couple via video call.

During this interaction, the woman revealed that they possessed Rs 37 lakh in their bank account along with gold jewelry stored in their locker. The fake officer instructed her to transfer Rs 32.8 lakh to a specified bank account, claiming it was necessary for the ongoing investigation. Fearing legal consequences, the elderly woman visited her bank and transferred the entire amount through RTGS. She subsequently sent confirmation of the payment to the scammer via WhatsApp.

After discussing the incident with her son-in-law, he immediately recognized the fraud and advised her to file a police complaint.

The victim has since approached the East Region Cyber Cell and registered a formal complaint. A cyber police official confirmed that investigations into the matter are currently underway.