Cybercriminals, impersonating IPS officer Vishwas Nangare Patil, defrauded an elderly couple in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The victims were tricked into believing that they were interacting with the real police official over a video call. The elderly couple, including a retired government officer who previously worked at the Divisional Commissioner’s Office, were targeted through repeated phone calls between July 2 and July 7. The fraudsters claimed that suspicious transactions worth ₹20 lakh were made from the couple's bank account and linked to a terrorist's account. Over a span of six days, the cybercriminals defrauded the couple of a staggering ₹78.6 lakh. A case has been registered at the Kranti Chowk Police Station, and further investigation is underway. Authorities have clarified that there is no legal provision such as a “digital arrest” and urged the public not to fall for such tactics.
Last month, a 38-year old advocate lost to ₹6 lakhs, after he was duped by cybercriminals who allegedly lured him into investing in a ‘Trump Hotel rentals scheme’ using an AI-generated video of US President Donald Trump promising high returns. The issue came to light after advocate Anil Mohan Bendre approached the Haveri CEN Police station with a complaint. In his statement, the advocate said that, in January this year, he came across a video on YouTube offering an investment opportunity in ‘Donald Trump Hotel Rentals’. When he clicked on the link, he was directed to download a mobile application. He was then asked to fill out a form, which included submitting his bank account details and IFSC code. According to the police, the advocate followed the instructions and paid ₹1,500 to activate his account. He was promised a 3% daily return on his investment.
Initially, he received the promised returns, and made a profit on his investment. Trusting the scheme, he invested more money when asked by the fraudsters, hoping to double his earnings. In total, he deposited ₹5,93,240 in various bank accounts, UPI IDs, and digital wallets between January 25 and April 4, using his wife’s bank account. However, he stopped receiving returns, and was also unable to take back the invested amount. During the investigation, police found that the complainant was tricked through a 'fake' link. Following the complaint, the CEN Police managed to freeze ₹1.5 lakh transferred to different accounts of the fraudsters. In recent times, several cases of fraud have been reported across the country, and appealed to the public not to click on unverified links on social media platforms and to be careful about investing in any online schemes.