A 77-year-old retired teacher from Mahim lost Rs 76.5 lakh to scammers posing as representatives of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a startling instance of cybercrime with a personal touch. In one of the first incidents of this kind, the con artists not only persuaded the victim over the phone but also set up an in-person payment collection, according to the police. According to a Hindustan Times report, the Central Cyber Police filed a case against unnamed individuals on Tuesday for extortion and forgery.
The deception lasted for about six months, starting in October 2024. It began when a caller posing as a TRAI officer said that the victim's PAN, Aadhaar, and mobile number were connected to money laundering. Soon after, a second caller who claimed to be a CBI agent warned that her family, especially her children, could fall in legal trouble. A third scammer furthered the illusion by posing as IPS officer Navjot Simi. She pressed the elderly woman to move Rs 13 lakh to several bank accounts in November after questioning her about her financial situation. "Simi" requested Rs 1 crore yet again in January 2025 to "close the case," stating that the money will be reimbursed following an audit. The scammers sought Rs 65 lakh for "verification" when the victim clarified that she was unable to arrange the Rs 1 crore.
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The woman liquidated her demat account, broke fixed deposits, and spent all of her savings out of panic. She was instructed to appear alone on a video call and on February 5 she met a masked woman outside the MHADA office in Kalanagar and gave over Rs 63.5 lakh in person. According to reports, she later obtained fictitious guarantees that her money would be repaid by April 5; nevertheless, the scammers vanished.
A case has been brought by the Central Cyber Police against unnamed persons under several provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including 204 (impersonating a public worker), 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by impersonation), 336(2) (forgery), and 308(2) (extortion).