Mira-Bhayandar: Computer operator duped of Rs 4.86L under guise of getting $5 million inheritance money

Mira-Bhayandar: Cyber crooks seem to be devising novel ideas every day to dupe gullible people. This time a young computer operator from Bhayandar ended up losing more than Rs 4.86 lakh to cyber-crooks who impersonated bank officials to weave a web of lies promising him five-million-dollar inheritance.

The episode started over some emails in the beginning of this year. In his statement to the police, the 24-year-old complainant who works as a computer operator with a Mumbai-based private company said he received an email from an unknown sender who claimed to be a senior officer attached to a bank in Dubai.

The story about death of Indian-origin businessman and matching surname

He was informed about the death of an Indian-origin businessman in the email who had apparently died in the earthquake which had hit the town of Java (Indonesia) in 2006. The mail further stated that prior to his death, the businessman had invested 5.5 million dollars (around 45 crore INR) in a fixed deposit with the bank which had matured in 2009. Since the businessman was unmarried and had no heirs to claim the money, the impersonator offered to process the claim on the complainant’s behalf.

The email stated that he was chosen because of his surname which matched with the deceased. The sender proposed a 50:50 sharing deal. A week later the complainant made a video call to the specified number and agreed to inherit the money.

Receipts were sent to win trust

The sender then asked the complainant to transfer 8,500 dollars (INR 4,86,107) for activating the defunct account. The complainant complied and transferred the amount via two equal instalments amounting to Rs 2,43,553 each. To win the trust of the complainant, the impersonator even sent receipts of the amount and demanded another 26,550 US dollars towards document charges.

The complainant expressed his inability to arrange such a huge amount and enquired with the bank only to realise that he was duped. A complaint under sections 406 and 420 of the IPC was registered against two suspects at the Bhayandar police station on Wednesday. Further investigations were underway.