Hyderabad Man Defrauded of Over Rs 7 Lakh by Criminals Posing as Police and CBI Officers
In a distressing incident of cyber fraud, a 48-year-old private sector worker from Saidabad, Hyderabad, fell victim to a sophisticated impersonation scam, losing a little over Rs 7 lakh to criminals who posed as Mumbai police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers. The fraud, which occurred on January 21, involved threats of arrest and property seizure in a fabricated money laundering case, leading the victim to liquidate his fixed deposits under duress.
How the Elaborate Scam Unfolded
According to the complaint filed by the victim, the ordeal began on January 19 when he received a call from an unknown individual claiming to be an officer from the Mumbai crime branch. The caller then connected him via a WhatsApp video call to another fraudster, who was dressed in a police uniform and introduced himself as Sub-Inspector Rajesh Mishra. This impersonator alleged that a SIM card had been fraudulently obtained using the victim's Aadhaar card, and it was being used to circulate obscene photographs and videos.
The gang further escalated the deception by asserting that a bank account had been opened in the victim's name using the same Aadhaar and SIM card, through which Rs 4.9 crore in money-laundering proceeds had been routed. Threatening immediate arrest and seizure of his property, the fraudsters pressured the victim into transferring the money from his account for purported verification purposes.
Financial Loss and Realisation of Fraud
Under intense pressure and fearing legal consequences, the victim liquidated his fixed deposits and, on January 21, transferred a little over Rs 7 lakh to the bank account of an event management company based in Bengaluru. The fraudsters had promised a refund after the verification process, but when this did not materialise, the victim consulted his family and realised he had been scammed.
Following this realisation, he approached the authorities, leading to the registration of a case by the Hyderabad cybercrime police on Thursday. The police have taken swift action to investigate the matter and track down the perpetrators.
Legal Action and Charges Filed
Based on the victim's complaint, the Hyderabad cybercrime police have booked the case under multiple sections to address the various facets of the crime. The charges include:
- Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, which deal with identity theft and cheating by personation using computer resources.
- Various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), such as 111(2)(b) for organised crime, 308(2) for extortion, 318(4) for cheating, 319(2) for cheating by personation, 336(3) for forgery for cheating, 338 for forgery of valuable security, and 340(2) for using as genuine a forged document or electronic record.
This case highlights the growing menace of cyber frauds where criminals exploit official impersonation to instil fear and extract money from unsuspecting individuals. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and verify any such claims directly with law enforcement agencies before taking any financial actions.
