A 65-year-old retired bank employee from Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district has become the latest victim of a sophisticated and terrifying cyber fraud, losing his life savings of nearly Rs 26 lakh. The elaborate scam involved perpetrators posing as high-profile police and investigative agency officials, using a combination of threats and forged legal documents to coerce the victim.
The Terrifying Video Call That Started It All
The ordeal for Paramjit Singh Taneja, a resident of Setia Colony and a former employee of Punjab National Bank, began on December 23. According to a police complaint filed on January 2, Taneja received a video call from an individual who kept his face hidden. The caller falsely identified himself as an official calling from the Colaba police station in Mumbai.
He immediately launched into serious accusations, claiming Taneja held an account with Canara Bank. The scammer alleged that an ATM card linked to this account had been recovered from a terrorist and was used for money laundering activities. When Taneja, who has never visited Mumbai, denied having any such account, the caller's tone turned threatening.
The victim was explicitly warned not to discuss the matter with his family or his bank. He was also threatened with dire consequences and harm to his family if he failed to cooperate with the so-called investigation.
A Barrage of Forged Documents to Create Fear
To make their threats appear legitimate, the fraudsters sent a series of convincingly forged documents to Taneja via WhatsApp on December 24. This digital dossier of fake paperwork was designed to instill maximum fear and compliance.
The documents included:
- A fake notice purportedly issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
- A PDF file showing a fabricated ATM card in Taneja's name.
- A counterfeit arrest warrant, supposedly from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
- A forged notice related to a money laundering case, allegedly from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Additionally, the scammers sent photographs claiming that multiple ATM cards linked to Taneja's account had been seized from a suspect. Following this, they made WhatsApp voice calls to extract sensitive financial details from the frightened retiree.
Under immense psychological pressure, Taneja shared details of his fixed deposits, mutual funds, and savings accounts. He was then instructed to break his fixed deposits and transfer the funds for "verification," with a false promise of refund once his details were confirmed as correct.
The Financial Drain and Relentless Harassment
Acting out of fear, Taneja visited his former employer, Punjab National Bank, and prematurely withdrew from three to four Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs). The total amount from these broken deposits was Rs 14,19,770, which he deposited into his savings account.
As instructed, he then transferred this entire sum via RTGS to an account held in the name of AP Trading Company at the Yes Bank branch in East Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi.
The harassment intensified on December 25. The accused allegedly kept Taneja on call for long hours, claiming he was under constant surveillance. They ordered him not to leave his home or allow any visitors. In a bizarre instruction, he was told to keep his phone charged at all times and ensure the battery never dropped below 50%.
Taneja reported that these threatening calls continued for a staggering 16 hours non-stop, leaving him sleepless and in a state of extreme distress.
The financial exploitation reached its peak on December 26. The fraudsters forced him to break another FDR worth Rs 11,52,260 and transfer the money to another account, this one linked to IndusInd Bank.
Once both substantial transfers were complete, the communication from the scammers ceased entirely. When Taneja tried to call them back on January 2 and received no response, the grim reality dawned on him. He realized he had been cheated and immediately approached the local cyber police station to file a formal complaint.
Police Investigation and Key Takeaways
The Sriganganagar police have registered a case and initiated an investigation. Officials stated that they are tracking the bank accounts involved to identify the account holders and trace the money trail. This complex scam highlights the evolving tactics of cybercriminals who exploit fear and impersonate authority figures to target vulnerable individuals, including senior citizens.
The case serves as a critical warning for the public to be extremely cautious of unsolicited calls, especially those making serious allegations or demanding immediate financial transactions. Genuine law enforcement agencies never operate in this manner or ask for money over the phone for verification purposes.
