Hyderabad: An 80-year-old retired Reserve Bank of India employee lost Rs 49 lakh after fraudsters impersonating Mumbai police threatened him with arrest in a fake money laundering case.
According to the employee’s complaint, the incident began on August 6 when he received a call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as a cybercrime officer from Mumbai and claimed that an anti-money laundering case had been filed against him in the Mumbai high court. The caller further said that an arrest warrant was about to be issued.
The fraudsters then sent employee forged documents through WhatsApp, carrying logos of the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and Mumbai police. They falsely alleged that his Aadhaar and bank accounts were linked to money laundering accused Naresh Goel.
Pretending to verify his finances in order to avoid immediate arrest, the fraudsters coerced the victim into transferring money into different bank accounts for so-called anti-money laundering department checks.
Between August 8 and 13, the employee transferred Rs 49 lakh from two of his bank accounts in three separate transactions. “They scared me, saying that I could be in prison for seven years and also have to pay Rs 20 lakh fine,” the victim said.
Once the transfers were completed, the fraudsters stopped all communication. Realising he had been cheated, the employee approached the Cyberabad cybercrime police on August 14.
Police have registered a case and started an investigation. The case has been filed under sections 204 (personating a public servant), 308(2) (extortion), 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by personation), 335 (making a false document), 336(3) (forgery for cheating), 338 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), 340(2) (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), read with 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS, along with Sections 66-C and 66-D of the Information Technology Act.
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