Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
An elderly couple in Gujarat’s Rajkot was allegedly duped of Rs 55.50 lakh, their lifetime savings, after cyber fraudsters posing as Mumbai Crime Branch officers kept them under a so-called digital arrest for a week and threatened them with arrest over alleged links to serious crimes.
The fraudsters allegedly prevented the couple from leaving their home or speaking to anyone, claiming that associates were monitoring their house. They also demanded an additional Rs 41 lakh, which the couple was preparing to arrange by liquidating their fixed deposits when their daughter alerted the police.
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FRAUDSTERS POSED AS MUMBAI CRIME BRANCH OFFICERS
The victims were identified as 75-year-old Geetaben Bhupatray Bhayani and her husband, residents of Gautam Buddha Apartments in Rajkot’s Panchnath Plot area.
According to the complaint, the fraudsters first contacted Geetaben through a WhatsApp call on August 18. Posing as a senior Mumbai Crime Branch officer, they allegedly accused the couple of being involved in serious crimes, including cyber-terrorism and terrorism.
To make their claims appear genuine, the fraudsters allegedly sent forged documents purportedly issued by the Reserve Bank of India and gradually gained the elderly woman’s trust.
For the next week, the couple was kept under intense mental pressure and instructed not to leave their home or disclose their situation to anyone. The fraudsters allegedly warned them that they would be arrested immediately if they spoke to others and claimed that their associates were keeping watch on their house.
COUPLE TRANSFERS Rs 55.5 LAKH
Terrified by the threats and believing that they were facing criminal action, the elderly couple transferred a total of Rs 55.50 lakh to various bank accounts, police said.
However, the fraudsters continued to demand more money even after receiving the amount. They asked the couple for an additional Rs 41 lakh.
Having already transferred their lifetime savings, the couple began the process of breaking their fixed deposits to arrange the additional money.
DAUGHTER ALERTS POLICE
The couple’s daughter, who lives in Mumbai, became suspicious after learning about the situation and immediately contacted the Rajkot Cyber Crime Police Station.
Acting on the information, the cyber crime team reached the couple’s residence and identified themselves as genuine police officers.
The couple was reportedly so terrified that they were initially unwilling to open their front door. After the officers reassured them and gained their trust, they allowed the police inside.
The officers listened to their account and informed them that they had fallen victim to a cyber fraud. The police intervention prevented the couple from transferring the additional amount that they were arranging through their fixed deposits.
The elderly woman was subsequently taken to the police station, where she lodged a formal complaint.
A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
