Mumbai Crime: Fraudsters Use Fake ED, SEBI Letters to Dupe Retired London Auditor of ₹15 Lakh; Cyber Police Recover Entire Amount

A 76-year-old retired financial auditor, who had earlier worked in London, was duped of nearly ₹15 lakh by cyber fraudsters who threatened him with “money laundering” charges and a so-called “digital arrest.” Thanks to his timely complaint, the South Region Cyber Police managed to freeze the entire amount before the scammers could withdraw it.

According to the police, the complainant, a former financial auditor who retired in 2005 and has been residing in Mumbai since then, received a video call on WhatsApp on October 4. The caller introduced himself as “Sanjay,” claiming to be an officer from the Mumbai Police. During the call, the fraudster sent the victim a photo of his own debit card and falsely claimed that the card had been seized in connection with a money laundering case.

The scammers also sent several forged documents via WhatsApp, including letters purportedly issued by the Supreme Court of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED). These fake papers carried official-looking seals and signatures, including a letter signed under the name “Barun Mitra, Secretary, Government of India,” and an “Arrest and Freezing Control Order.”

The documents mentioned the complainant’s name, alleging his involvement in money laundering, which left him frightened and anxious. The fraudsters further sent him a fake “Warrant of Arrest”, warning him to maintain secrecy and not disclose the matter to anyone.

From October 4 to October 11, the accused continued to threaten the victim, claiming that he was under “digital custody” and could be arrested if he failed to follow instructions. On October 8, the scammer told the complainant that to prove his innocence and verify the legality of his funds, he must transfer all his money into an account specified by them.

Believing the instructions to be genuine, the victim transferred ₹14,99,000 to the given account on October 11, 2025. Later that day, when he met a relative and narrated the incident, he realized that he had been cheated. Acting promptly, he approached Senior Police Inspector Nandkumar Gopale of the South Region Cyber Police and lodged a complaint.

Inspector Gopale assigned the investigation to Police Officers Sandeep Kale and Sachin Trimukhe, who immediately registered a complaint via the 1930 Cyber Helpline and managed to secure the transferred amount before it could be withdrawn.

Police sources said that during the scam, the victim had taken a screenshot of the “digital arrest” session, which revealed the image of a woman posing in a police uniform suspected to be one of the cyber fraudsters. Investigations are underway to trace the accused behind the fraudulent operation.