Pastor loses Rs 22.8L in digital arrest
HYDERABAD: A 62-year-old pastor from Secunderabad lost Rs 22.8 lakh in a digital arrest after cyberfraudsters falsely claimed he was involved in a criminal case and kept him under virtual surveillance for over 10 days.
Hyderabad Cybercrime police said the victim received a call on February 9 from a man identifying himself as Rahul Kumar Sharma from the CBI, Bengaluru, who claimed a case had been registered against him in connection with illegal advertisements and abusive messages. The fraudster sent a fake FIR, which was later deleted.
Subsequently, a woman posing as a CBI officer from Mumbai contacted him, claiming she was investigating a money laundering case involving one Sadhakhath Khan, allegedly linked to the victim. The fraudsters claimed an ATM card in his name was used in transactions worth Rs 3 crore and that he had earned Rs 75 lakh as commission.
They sent forged documents related to the case, including a fake letter purportedly from the Chief Justice of India, offering him a chance to prove his innocence by paying a security deposit. The victim was also asked to disclose details of his properties, bank accounts and gold, and was assured the money would be refunded after verification.
Out of fear, the victim transferred Rs 22,80,000 by exhausting his savings, mortgaging gold and borrowing money. When asked to pay more, he expressed his unwillingness, but the fraudsters allegedly advised him to mortgage his house and take further loans. “She called me through WhatsApp audio and video calls, and she wore a police uniform”, the victim said.
Realising he had been cheated, the victim approached the cybercrime police. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway.