The convenience of online payments has revolutionized financial transactions for millions globally, yet it has also opened doors for cybercriminals seeking to defraud individuals of their earnings with minimal effort.
A new scam has surfaced, with reports indicating that "sophisticated scammers" are posing as Mumbai Police officers to deceive unsuspecting individuals. Discussions about the scam gained traction on the microblogging platform X, sparked by a user's account of thwarting these cybercriminals by cleverly referring to underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim as their 'uncle'.
In a bid to warn others about the scam, X user Saurav Das recounted his experience of being targeted, revealing that he received the initial call via an automated voice message claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
The entire call lasted about 1 hour and I was quite convinced that it was genuine. The robot said my number would get blocked in 2 hours and press 9 for more info. That led me to the first guy who pretended to be from the Telecom Division. He told me someone in Bombay Andheri East has lodged a complaint against a number registered through my Aadhaar for illegal advertising and harassing texts, he wrote.
According to Das, the scammers informed him that the Mumbai police had allegedly sent a blocking request to TRAI, prompting the necessity to block all numbers linked to his Aadhar card. Additionally, the individual shared purported details of the First Information Report (FIR) with Das and proceeded to 'transfer' the call to the 'Andheri East police station'.
“He asked me to ask the police to send them a “clarification letter” that my original number is mine and I am not associated with the case to avoid the block. “There are a lot of identity theft going on in India” he said. That led me to the second guy who told me he’s the police SI in Mumbai Police. He took some details and said my statement would have to be recorded since I can’t be physically present in Bombay. Then I received a video call from a third guy (+91 90324 07612). He was in a police uniform and spoke good English,” Das wrote.
Pradip Sawant, currently holding the position of DCP Security Branch within the Mumbai Police, has come under scrutiny following an incident reported by Das. Das expressed his suspicions when encountering individuals claiming to be police officers, noting that the third individual lacked a Marathi accent. Furthermore, Das observed the use of English by this individual to direct a Head Constable to investigate his case. Despite discrepancies, Das cooperated with the fourth individual, identified as the 'head constable', who recorded his statement and requested his Aadhaar number, which was inaccurately cited. The unfolding scenario, resembling a scripted production with the use of walkie-talkies, led Das to discover his alleged involvement in a 65-crore money laundering case, prompting further investigation into the matter.
“This got too funny there and honestly, cringe. ‘Kya aap kuch chhupa rahe ho hum se,’ he asked. I told him Dawood is my chacha. ‘Who Dawood?’ he wondered. ‘Dawood Ibrahim. He’s my chacha (uncle)’. I told them to piss off and that was it,” he added. “This got too funny there and honestly, cringe. ‘Kya aap kuch chhupa rahe ho hum se,’ he asked. I told him Dawood is my chacha. ‘Who Dawood?’ he wondered. ‘Dawood Ibrahim. He’s my chacha (uncle)’. I told them to piss off and that was it,” he added. Urging Mumbai Police to take note of his post about scammers impersonating them, Das said “The point is that the scammers are now a lot more sophisticated in their tactics. I don’t see a reason why my parents, older generation won’t fall for this. I bought the entire skit for 30 mins.”
Das's account quickly gained traction on social media, with numerous individuals sharing similar encounters. Adding to the discourse, microblogger 'Darshna' contributed by posting a picture of a counterfeit identity card purportedly belonging to Pradip Sawant, which has been extensively circulated by scammers.