In a heartbreaking incident in Lucknow, a retired government employee lost nearly his entire retirement corpus of Rs 12.94 lakh to cyber criminals posing as pension department officials. The victim, who took voluntary retirement in August 2025, suffered a paralytic stroke upon discovering the fraud, police said.
How the Fraud Unfolded
According to the police, the victim received a WhatsApp message on March 19, 2026, from an unknown number claiming to be from the Government of India's pension department. The message included a purported official letter stating that around Rs 14 lakh was due to him. Believing the message to be genuine as it matched his expected retirement dues, the victim engaged with the sender.
After his pension amount was credited to his account, the fraudsters contacted him again, claiming an additional Rs 2 lakh could be released after verification. During the interaction, the caller sought a one-time password (OTP) to 'process' the payment. Trusting the caller, a family member shared the OTP. Within minutes, multiple unauthorized transactions were carried out, siphoning off Rs 12.94 lakh from the victim's account.
Victim's Health Deteriorates
Family members said the victim, who was already unwell, went into shock upon learning about the fraud and suffered a paralytic stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed with impaired speech. He is currently unable to pursue the case, prompting his daughter to approach the police.
The case was registered after the daughter filed a complaint with the office of the deputy commissioner of police (crime). The family submitted bank statements, transaction details, the fake document received on WhatsApp, and a complaint filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Police Investigation Underway
Police have launched an investigation and are analyzing transaction trails, suspect mobile numbers, and beneficiary accounts. Efforts are underway to freeze any remaining funds. Authorities urge citizens to be cautious of unsolicited messages and never share OTPs or personal details with unknown callers.
