A retired engineer from Pune was scammed out of Rs 81 lakh in an elaborate online fraud involving fake allegations of illegal advertisements. The fraudsters posed as law enforcement officials to intimidate and extort money from the victim.

Online scams are rapidly becoming a major cyber threat in India, with a significant increase in cyber fraud cases over the past few months. Scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics. A recent trend is parcel fraud, where victims receive calls about a fake confiscated package at the airport. However, as public awareness of such scams grows, fraudsters are shifting to new methods. In a recent case, a 68-year-old retired chemical engineer from Pimple Saudagar lost Rs 81 lakh of his life savings after receiving a phone call alleging illegal advertisements linked to his phone number.

The incident began in the third week of May when the engineer received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed that 24 complaints had been lodged against his phone number for illegal advertisements and objectionable content. The caller threatened that his and his wife’s phone numbers would be disconnected and that a case had been registered against him at the Fort Police Station in Mumbai.

To enhance the scam’s credibility, the fraudster connected the victim to another individual posing as an inspector from the Fort Police Station. This fake officer claimed the engineer was implicated in money laundering and needed to speak to the ‘Mumbai CBI Chief’ to resolve the issue. The victim was then connected via a video call to a profile displaying a police logo, adding to the illusion of authenticity.

During the video call, the person impersonating a CBI officer escalated the situation by stating that the Supreme Court had issued an order to freeze the engineer’s assets and arrest him due to alleged illegal activities and money laundering. Terrified by the mention of the Supreme Court, the victim, despite repeatedly denying any wrongdoing, was told that his case could be taken for ‘priority investigation’ to clear his name. The scammer then asked for detailed personal and financial information, including bank balances and investment details. The victim was coerced into transferring Rs 60 lakh and Rs 21 lakh to ‘government accounts as security deposits,’ with the promise that these transfers would clear his name.

The fraudsters continued their demands, insisting that the victim liquidate his remaining investments. This prompted the engineer to become suspicious, eventually realizing he had been scammed. He approached the police and registered a First Information Report (FIR).

A police officer familiar with the investigation noted that this scam’s modus operandi mirrors the infamous ‘drugs in parcel’ scam, albeit with different pretexts for intimidating victims. In ‘drugs in parcel’ scams, victims are contacted by individuals pretending to be international courier service executives, claiming drugs were found in parcels addressed to them. These victims are then manipulated into speaking with fake law enforcement profiles and coerced into making substantial payments under various pretexts, such as customs fees or legal charges, with threats of bank account hacks and surveillance.

To counter such scams, authorities urge citizens not to respond to fake calls threatening to disconnect their mobile numbers or alleging misuse in illegal activities.