Mumbai: A 70-year-old woman from Pune fell victim to cyber criminals. They pretended to be ED and Maharashtra Police officials. They claimed her account was linked to a money laundering case.
The woman denied any involvement. But the fraudsters insisted her account was misused. They pressured her to transfer money to clear the case.
Fraudsters’ Tactics
Cyber criminals used the name of Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal. They falsely claimed her account was connected to his money laundering case.
They told her she was digitally arrested. To avoid legal trouble, they demanded selfies every 2 hours. This kept her from contacting anyone.
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The woman, a widow living alone, was trapped. She believed the fraudsters. From February 19 to March 10, she transferred ₹2.57 crores in 74 installments.
She broke her fixed deposits and investments to send the money. The fraudsters promised her money would be safe in government accounts and will be refunded later.
As per the report by Indian Express, the woman was tricked with such convincing tactics that she couldn’t realize the fraud until it was too late.
How to Stay Safe
- Never trust strangers claiming to be government officials.
- Government never asks for money over the phone.
- Talk to family or friends if you receive suspicious calls.
- Report cyber crimes on the official cybercrime portal.
