In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 28-year-old woman software engineer from Bengaluru has been duped over Rs 1.2 crore under the guise of a “digital arrest” scheme. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns by the police, government, and media, such fraudulent activities continue to rise. The victim, who approached the Bengaluru police with her complaint, has sparked an investigation into the incident.
The woman reported receiving an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) call from an international number on December 11. The caller claimed to be from DHL courier services, stating that a parcel under her name contained six fake passports, ATM cards, clothes, and drugs. She was then instructed to report the matter to a police station in Mumbai. Since she was in Bengaluru, the caller assured her that the matter would be handled by the Mumbai Crime Team.
Soon after, a fake officer named Sunil Datt Dubey, posing as a member of the Mumbai Crime Team, contacted her. He told her that, based on her documents, accounts had been opened in four different states linked to money laundering, involving approximately $10.9 million. Fearful of the situation, the woman was sent a fake digital arrest order. The fraudsters, impersonating officials, told her that her funds needed to be verified as part of the investigation.
The woman was coerced into cooperating by promises that the process would be easier if she complied. The scammers even provided fake letters purportedly from financial departments, the Mumbai Crime Branch, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), stating that she would need to transfer 95% of her funds to their accounts for the investigation. The woman was instructed to liquidate all her investments and assets and transfer the majority of her funds via RTGS.
According to instructions, she transferred a sum of Rs. 75.63 lakh to the account specified. The scammers then, in turn, provided her with a fabricated receipt of a financial transaction from the Supreme Court, specifying that it would be repaid once the investigation was over.. Additionally, they demanded a bond payment of ₹55.87 lakh for her immovable property as part of the process.
Unable to provide the full amount, the woman took a loan of Rs 40 lakh and transferred the remaining Rs 5 lakh as requested. After completing these transactions, the fraudsters claimed the case would be resolved and assured her that her money would be returned within a few days.
When no funds were returned after several days, and all the fake officers stopped responding, the woman realized she had been scammed. In total, she transferred Rs 1,20,63,778 to the fraudsters across three different transactions.
The Bengaluru East Division Police have launched an investigation into the case, and authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant against such cyber fraud schemes. Having made this fraudulent transaction, they made an assurance to this lady that her case would be resolved and money would be sent back to her accounts within a few days. After some days passed without the refund, she noticed that the so-called officers had stopped answering her calls; she realized that she had fallen for a scam. The total amount transferred by her to the fraudsters through three transactions was Rs 1,20,63,778.
The Bengaluru East Division Police have filed a case in this regard to investigate further; meanwhile, authorities have called on the public to be alert and take precautions against such cyber frauds.