78-year-old woman loses Rs 1.5 crore after ordering food for daughter, scammed by fake Delhi police

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): A 78-year-old woman from South Mumbai fell prey to a cyber scam, losing Rs 1.5 crore after being deceived by fraudsters posing as the Special Investigation Team of Delhi police. The elderly homemaker who is connected to a well-known builder in the area was led to believe she was being investigated for money laundering and drug-related offenses.

The scam began when the woman arranged for a courier service to send food to her daughter in the United States. The following day, she received a call from someone claiming to be from the courier company who alleged that her package contained not only food but also her Aadhaar card, expired passports, credit cards, illegal substances and USD 2,000 (Rs 1,70,000) in cash. The fraudsters accused her of being part of a conspiracy with two other individuals.

In the days that followed several individuals posing as officials from various government departments including the Cyber Crime Branch and the Finance Department contacted her. They conducted video calls while dressed in police uniforms and presented fake documents, such as arrest warrants and investigation reports to make their claims seem legitimate. Under intense pressure, the woman was persuaded to disclose her banking details after the scammers showed her fake warrants and investigation documents on WhatsApp. Believing she was protecting her assets during the "investigation," she transferred Rs 1.51 crore to the fraudsters' bank accounts. It was only when she spoke to a family member that she realized she had been scammed.

The woman immediately reported the incident to the Cybercrime Police Helpline and the case was handed over to the South Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police. Authorities revealed that the fraudsters used multiple bank accounts to move the money swiftly, making it more difficult to track. Cybercrime experts have advised people, especially the elderly to be cautious of such scams. They recommend verifying the legitimacy of unknown callers, refraining from sharing personal information over the phone and promptly reporting any suspicious activity.