Cyber fraudsters in Mumbai are adopting new tactics to trap unsuspecting victims. In three separate incidents, scammers cheated a doctor, an elderly woman and a government officer of more than ₹4.89 lakh by using different methods such as offering cricket match tickets on social media, posing as a CBI officer and making fake customer care calls for refunds. Police have registered cases against unidentified persons and initiated investigations.
Doctor Duped of ₹2.98 Lakh in Instagram Cricket Ticket Scam
A doctor residing in Vile Parle East became a victim of cyber fraud while trying to purchase tickets for the India–England cricket match through Instagram.
On March 3, the doctor came across a post on an Instagram page named SkyEvents Enterprises, which advertised the sale of tickets for the India–England match. After contacting the page via message to buy four tickets, the accused sent a UPI QR code for payment.
Initially, the doctor transferred ₹14,400. Later, on the pretext of ticket confirmation and refund processing, the accused repeatedly asked for additional payments. Between March 3 and March 4, the doctor transferred ₹28,800, ₹79,500, ₹1,10,000 and ₹57,200, taking the total amount to ₹2,98,300.
The accused remained in constant contact through an unknown mobile number but neither delivered the tickets nor returned the money.
Fraudster Poses as CBI Officer, Cheats Elderly Woman
In another case, a 66-year-old woman from Andheri East fell prey to a scammer who posed as a CBI officer.
On the morning of March 1, she received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be a CBI officer and threatened her with arrest if she did not immediately transfer money.
Frightened by the threat, the woman transferred ₹20,000 the same day. On March 4, the accused called again demanding more money. Out of fear, the woman transferred ₹22,000, ₹5,000, ₹46,000, ₹14,000 and ₹3,000 at different times, totalling ₹1.10 lakh.
When the caller later demanded another ₹1.5 lakh in the evening, the woman informed her son, after which she realised she had been cheated.
Government Officer Loses ₹81,422 in Fake Refund Call
A 56-year-old woman residing in Andheri East, who works as an inspector in the Maharashtra government’s rationing department, also fell victim to cyber fraud.
She had ordered groceries through an online app and accidentally made the payment twice. While searching for the customer care number on Google to request a refund, she called a number that turned out to be fraudulent.
The scammers, posing as company employees, asked her to open the PhonePe app. Soon after, several suspicious transactions were made from her bank account.
An inquiry revealed that ₹2,000, ₹2,000, ₹4,122, ₹70,000, ₹2,000 and ₹1,300 — totalling ₹81,422 — had been transferred, most of it to an account in the name of Sangay Dorji Sherpa.
In all three cases, the victims have lodged complaints on the cyber helpline 1930. Police are tracing the accused using mobile numbers, bank accounts and social media details.