Mumbai, August 5:  A 71-year-old doctor fell victim to cyber fraudsters posing as Delhi police officers and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers. They extorted INR 23 lakh by threatening him with arrest in a fabricated case involving money laundering, drug trafficking, and identity theft. The doctor, a consultant at a local hospital, received a WhatsApp video call from someone claiming to be from the Department of Telecom (DoT), alleging his phone was used for illegal activities.

According to a report by the Times of India, the incident took place in June this year. The fraud began with a WhatsApp call informing the doctor that his phone number would be disconnected due to its involvement in illegal activities.  The caller connected him to an alleged Delhi police officer who informed him of a case registered against him. This was followed by a video call from a person posing as a CBI officer in a police uniform, who claimed that a serious case of "Sandeep Kumar money laundering, drug trafficking, and identity theft’ was pending against the doctor. Insurance Fraud in Mumbai: Multiple Companies Scammed Into Paying INR 69 Lakh After Woman Fakes Death Twice in Two Years, Probe Launched.

The doctor was then sent a fake CBI letterhead and an acknowledgement letter with the names of an IAS and two IPS officers, further convincing him of the threat. During the scam, the fraudsters sent the doctor a WhatsApp message with a list of prominent Mumbai police officials' names to create fear. They also used a fake profile picture of a CBI officer in uniform to enhance their credibility. The victim, believing the threats to be real, was coerced into transferring INR 23 lakh to a specified bank account under the pretence that it would be returned after the case's judgment. Cyber Scam in Mumbai: Senior Citizen From Mulund Loses Rs 8.6 Lakh to Fraudster While Trying To Buy US Dollars, Case Registered.

Following the realisation of the scam, the doctor reported the fraud to the authorities. As per a Hindustan Times report, the cyber police registered an FIR on August 2 against unknown persons for cheating, forgery, and extortion under the IPC and IT Act.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2024 03:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).