Udupi: A 53-year-old woman fell victim to a sophisticated online fraud, losing ₹19.7 lakh to scammers posing as officials from telecom companies and the police.
According to the complaint filed by Vidya, the incident began on October 4 when she received a call from an individual claiming to be from Airtel. The caller alleged that a SIM card linked to her Aadhaar was being misused in Mumbai for spam and fraudulent activities. They warned her that all her mobile numbers could be blocked and connected her to a supposed "Sahara police station."
A man identifying himself as Mohan Kumar, an "investigation officer" from the Sahara police station, then contacted Vidya. He alleged that a fraudulent bank account had been opened in her name at an SBI branch in Mumbai. This account, he claimed, was being used for human trafficking and money laundering activities by someone named Vivek Das. He insisted that all her bank accounts needed to be reviewed.
On October 5, the scam escalated when Kumar, posing as a police officer, threatened Vidya with arrest and warned her not to leave her location without his permission. He demanded that she transfer funds from her accounts to specific UPI IDs and bank accounts under the pretext of "reviewing" her finances. Fearing legal consequences, Vidya complied and transferred ₹19.7 lakh in installments between October 16 and November 7.
The fraud came to light only after she realized she had been deceived. A case has been registered at the CEN (Cyber, Economic, and Narcotics) police station, and an investigation is underway.
Public Warning:
- Beware of unsolicited calls claiming to be from telecom companies, banks, or police stations.
- Never share sensitive personal or banking details over the phone.
- Always verify the identity of callers through official channels before taking any action.
- If in doubt, contact your local police or cybercrime cell immediately.
- Stay vigilant to avoid falling prey to such scams!
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