A 67-year-old retired LIC employee in Hyderabad has allegedly been duped of Rs. 4 lakh after cybercriminals posed as government officials, police officers and senior IPS officers in a digital arrest scam. The victim, a resident of Krishna Nagar Colony in Secunderabad, approached the police after realising that the callers were fraudsters.
The scam began when a caller claiming to be a senior executive of the Data Protection Board of India in Mumbai told the victim that a SIM card had been issued using his Aadhaar details and was linked to illegal activities. He was then connected through a WhatsApp video call to another person posing as a Colaba Police Station officer.
The fraudsters claimed that his Aadhaar was being misused and that a Canara Bank account had been opened in his name for suspected money laundering. They sent fake FIR copies, official-looking documents, a fake Supreme Court order and fabricated Canara Bank statements to make the investigation appear genuine.
They also impersonated senior police officials, including IPS officer Vishwas Nangare Patil. The victim was allegedly forced to provide statements and photographs and give updates every 2 hours.
On August 10, 2026, the fraudsters asked him to transfer Rs. 4,00,000 from his Axis Bank account for verification. Believing them to be genuine officials, he transferred the amount through RTGS.
The scammers later pressured him to withdraw his mutual fund investments. He became suspicious, blocked their numbers and still received calls from 5 other numbers. His attempt to reach the National Cybercrime Helpline 1930 did not go through. He later filed a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and approached the local police.
The fraudsters allegedly used fake Mumbai Police ID cards, Reserve Bank of India documents and SEBI papers to gain his trust. Police have registered a case and are investigating.
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