Pune Senior Citizen Defrauded of Rs 10.75 Crore in Elaborate Digital Arrest Scam
In a shocking case of cyber crime, an 82-year-old man residing on Bhandarkar Road in Pune has been defrauded of a staggering Rs 10.75 crore through a sophisticated digital arrest scam. The incident occurred between January 23 and 31, 2024, leaving the victim, who hails from north India and settled in Pune approximately 15 years ago, financially devastated.
Victim's Background and Financial Loss
The elderly victim, who lives alone in his Bhandarkar Road residence while his daughter resides in her marital home in Pune, lost his entire life savings. According to Inspector Sangeeta Deokate of the Pune Cyber Police, the fraudsters wiped out all his savings and fixed deposits (FDs) that were generated from his retirement benefits. Additionally, the remittance sent by his two sons, who are settled in the USA, was also stolen in this elaborate scam.
Modus Operandi of the Fraudsters
The scam began when the victim purchased a new SIM card on January 18 from a cellular company outlet. After receiving a verification call as promised by the company, his SIM was activated. However, on January 23, he received another call from an unknown number. Since it was a new SIM, he answered the call, which marked the beginning of his nightmare.
The caller claimed to be an officer from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and informed the victim that his Aadhaar card was involved in a money laundering case linked to a former airline company director arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The fraudster alleged that the victim's Aadhaar card was used to transfer money to 24 different bank accounts, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was investigating these transactions.
Escalation of Threats and Digital Arrest
The bogus TRAI officer then transferred the call to a fake CBI officer, who instructed the victim to remain on a video call through a social messaging application. The imposter CBI officer threatened the senior citizen with arrest and claimed he could face imprisonment of seven to nine years. Under immense pressure, the victim divulged details of his bank accounts, Aadhaar card, PAN card, and other personal information for so-called verification.
The fraudster posing as a CBI officer promised a speedy online inquiry before a judge and scheduled another video call for January 24. During this call, the suspects produced the victim before a bogus judge, who claimed to be presiding over the ED case. The fake judge ordered the complainant not to disclose the proceedings to anyone, including family members, and threatened to book and arrest his relatives if he did so.
Legal Facade and Financial Drain
To add credibility to their scheme, the fake judge offered legal assistance in the form of a lawyer to defend the victim's case. The judge then instructed the elderly man to transfer all his savings and money from fixed deposits to seven different bank accounts to close the case. Complying under duress, the victim transferred Rs 10.75 crore to the specified accounts.
After the transfer was completed, the judge told him he was free to go. It was only then that the victim called his daughter, who immediately recognized the fraud. The victim subsequently approached the Pune Cyber Police to file a complaint.
Police Response and Case Registration
Inspector Sangeeta Deokate stated that based on the victim's complaint, a case of cheating was registered on Monday. The police are investigating the matter, focusing on the sophisticated impersonation of TRAI, CBI, and judicial officials that led to this massive financial loss.
This case highlights the growing threat of digital arrest scams targeting vulnerable senior citizens, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and cybersecurity measures to protect against such sophisticated frauds.
