A shocking case of cybercrime has surfaced from Jaipur's Mansarovar area, where a 75-year-old man who was named Santosh Kumar was duped for Rs 23.56 lakh. The cybercriminals falsely accused him of money laundering and subjected him to a psychological ordeal by keeping him under "digital arrest" for three days.
Fake police call triggers panic
The incident started on May 23 at 9:44 AM, when Santosh received two phone calls from unknown numbers. He received the call, where one of the callers introduced himself as Sanjay Kumar from Colaba Police Station, Mumbai. He claimed that Santosh’s mobile number was linked to a criminal investigation involving in money laundering case, which was worth Rs 2.8 crore.
He further added that a non-bailable warrant had been issued further on his name.
Later, ‘CBI Officer’ enters and a fake court setup creates panic
To add credibility, the caller (scammers) then connected with Santosh along with another person who posed as a CBI officer, Rohit Kumar Gupta. Together, they manipulated the victim (a senior citizen) into the belief that the charges were real.
Also, to create further panic, the scammers added a shocking move, where they made a video call showcasing a fake court scene with a judge reading out an order to freeze all his bank accounts.
Illness and fear made the victim transfer Rs 23 Lakh from his account
Frightened and confused, the elderly man, who was suffering from a serious illness, was psychologically pressured and further transferred Rs 23.56 lakh across multiple transactions on different bank accounts, which were suggested by fake police and CBI officers.
When he informed the fraudsters that he had no more money, they convinced him to break his fixed deposit of Rs 20 lakh.
Bank manager’s alertness uncovers the fraud
Fortunately, when Santosh visited the bank to break the FD, the manager sensed something was wrong. Upon hearing the full story, the bank immediately alerted the authorities. A formal complaint was registered on May 26 at Shiprapath Police Station, and the cybercrime unit has taken up the investigation.
Police urge citizens to stay vigilant
The Jaipur Cyber Crime Branch has issued a strong warning urging people not to fall for such fake calls claiming to be from the police, CBI, or courts. They emphasised that no legitimate authority would ask for money transfers over calls or video chats. Any suspicious activity should be reported immediately by calling the cybercrime helpline 1930.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of how vulnerable citizens, especially the elderly, can fall prey to sophisticated online fraud. Staying informed and cautious is the best defence.