A 64-year-old man from Thane district was allegedly duped of nearly Rs 28 lakh in a `digital arrest` scam, police said on Friday, reported PTI.
The complainant, a resident of Kalyan West, alleged that between April 1 and April 7, he received multiple WhatsApp video and audio calls from unknown persons, including some from international numbers, police said.
“The callers introduced themselves as police officials and claimed that the complainant’s bank accounts were linked to a money laundering case and terrorist activities,” said an official from Khadakpada police station, reported PTI.
The accused allegedly threatened to “arrest” the senior citizen and coerced him into transferring money for “verification and investigation purposes,” the official said.
Under pressure and fear, the man transferred Rs 27.9 lakh to bank accounts provided by the accused during the calls, police said. He later realised that he had been defrauded.
Based on his complaint, the police registered a case on Wednesday.
“An investigation is underway to trace the accused and identify the bank accounts used in the fraud. We are also analysing call data records and digital evidence,” the investigating officer said, reported PTI.
Mumbai retired teacher duped of Rs 32 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam
A 63-year-old retired teacher from Mumbai was put under a fake “digital arrest” and cheated of over Rs 32.69 lakh by fraudsters posing as officers of the Anti-Terrorism Squad, in a scam that relied less on hacking and more on fear.
The threat
The victim, a resident of Goregaon East, was thrown into a state of fear when she received a call from men claiming to be officers from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The callers alleged that her bank account was linked to funding the infamous ‘Pulwama Terror Attack’, a claim designed to shock and intimidate.
The callers switched roles easily
>> ATS inspector >> DCP
>> They name-dropped institutions like the Reserve Bank of India and the National Investigation Agency to sound legitimate.
Then came the documents
>> Fake FIRs and arrest warrants
>> Stamped letters
>> Even a so-called “immunity certificate”
>> By then, she was fully under their control.
Not a one-off
>> Police say this was part of a larger setup
>> Bank accounts rented out
>> About 3 per cent commission per layer
>> Money moved through a chain of handlers
How they took Rs 32.69 lakh
The ask was framed as a procedure. They told her her money needed to be checked for legality. So she transferred it.
>> Multiple transactions
>> UPI and NEFT >> Over several days
>> By the end: Rs 32,69,997 gone
Arrests and the trail
>> Four men have been arrested from Nanded:
>> Nilesh Pasamvar, 25
>> Shubham Jogdand, 25
>> Ajay Bhosle, 25
>> Siddharth Jondhale, 19
Another case, same playbook
The North Cyber Police has arrested a 49-year-old freelance real estate agent from Bhayandar for allowing his bank account to be used to route defrauded funds.
The accused, identified as Kiran Kansariya, was allegedly part of a larger cyber fraud network that targeted a 75-year-old retired man and duped him of a staggering Rs 91 lakh by placing him under a fake “digital arrest.”
Targeted a 75-year-old man. Pic/By Special Arrangement
According to investigators, Rs 5 lakh from the cheated amount was transferred into Kansariya’s account, while a major chunk, Rs 81 lakh, was routed to another account based in West Bengal.
During interrogation, Kansariya reportedly confessed that after keeping his commission, he withdrew the remaining money and handed it over to an accomplice in Kandivli. The accomplice is believed to have sent the funds abroad through the hawala network. Police officials said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the Kandivli-based accused.
What police found
Rs 5 lakh
>> Withdrawn by Pasamvar
>> Handed to Bhosle
>> Routed via hawala
>> The next link leads to a handler in Gujarat. Police teams are tracking him.
