Mumbai cyber scam: Elderly woman tricked into transferring ₹1.5 cr to fraudsters; here is what happened | Mint-OxBig News Network

In other shocking cyber scam news, a 78-year-old woman from South Mumbai became the latest victim of a fraud scheme, losing a staggering ₹1.5 crore after being duped by fraudsters posing as officials from the Special Investigation Team of the Delhi police, reportedTOI.

The elderly homemaker, who is related to a prominent builder in the city, was misled into believing she was under investigation for serious charges, including money laundering and drug-related offences, reported the publication.

Reportedly, the scam began when she organised 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 a representative of the courier company, who accused her of shipping illegal items. The fraudster alleged that the package contained her Aadhaar card, expired passports, credit cards, and USD 2,000 in cash, as well as illegal substances. They further implicated her in a conspiracy involving two other individuals.

The scammers reportedly continued their deception by posing as various officials from government departments, including the Cyber Crime Branch and the Finance Department. They even conducted video calls, dressed in police uniforms, and presented forged documents such as arrest warrants and investigation reports to lend credibility to their claims.

In a state of panic, the woman was persuaded to share her banking details with the fraudsters, who convinced her that her assets needed to be safeguarded. Over the course of the scam, she transferred ₹1.51 crore to bank accounts provided by the criminals.

The report adds that it was only after discussing the situation with a family member that she realised she had fallen victim to a scam. She immediately reported the incident to the Cybercrime Police Helpline, and the case was subsequently handed over to the South Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police. The fraudsters had used multiple accounts to move the funds swiftly, making it difficult to trace.

Authorities have urged the public, especially elderly individuals, to remain vigilant against such scams, advising them to verify the legitimacy of any claims made by unknown callers and to avoid disclosing personal details over the phone.