A retired Navy officer was duped of ₹14.5 lakh after cyber criminals posed as officials from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch and accused him of being involved in a money laundering case. The elderly ex-serviceman was tricked into transferring his life savings to a fraudulent account under the false promise of clearing his name.
Investigators revealed that the scam began with a phone call claiming that a suspicious transaction of ₹2 crore had been carried out in his name, allegedly earning him a 10 percent commission. The fraudsters further alleged that his mobile number was linked to criminal activities and would soon be blocked.
One of the callers introduced himself as “Investigating Officer Vikram Goswami” and demanded to conduct a video call interrogation. The officer was told to move to a secluded location for the session and threatened with immediate arrest if he informed anyone. The scammers even sent a forged arrest warrant to his phone and claimed that the CBI Director would question him. Their caller ID displayed the Mumbai Police logo, adding credibility to their claims.
Fearing arrest and public embarrassment, the retired officer transferred ₹4.5 lakh in multiple transactions to accounts specified by the fraudsters, believing their assurance that the money would be returned if he was found innocent after the so-called “investigation.”
The fraud came to light on August 6 when the officer tried to contact the numbers provided by the scammers to retrieve his funds, only to find them switched off. He then informed his family and lodged a complaint with the Cyber Police.
An FIR has been registered, and authorities are tracing the bank accounts used in the scam to track down the culprits. Police have also warned the public to remain cautious of such “digital arrest” scams, which have been increasingly targeting senior citizens and retired professionals.
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