A 49-year-old fashion designer from Andheri lost ₹33.5 lakh in a cyber fraud after being tricked by scammers posing as police and CBI officials. The fraudsters convinced her to opt for a seven-day ‘digital custody’ to avoid a 90-day physical police custody in a fake money laundering case.
The victim, fearing arrest, submitted an online application to the fraudsters for ‘digital custody’ under the pretext of cooperating with the investigation. Over the next month, she unknowingly transferred her entire savings of ₹33.5 lakh to the scammers, believing it was part of legal procedures.
In her complaint to the West Region Cyber Police, the victim stated that on December 12, 2024, she received a call from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as an official from TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and warned that her mobile number would be deactivated within two hours because it was allegedly used for sending fraudulent and threatening messages.
When she sought more details, the caller claimed that a cybercrime complaint had been registered against her.A few minutes later, she received another call. This time, the caller introduced himself as Sunil Kumar Gautam, an officer from the Delhi Cyber Crime Department, and alleged that her Aadhaar card was being misused for illegal activities.
Later, she received a video call from a man who claimed to be IPS officer Rajeshwar Pradhan. He was dressed in a police uniform, which made her believe the claims. He accused her of being involved in money laundering and claimed that the CBI had filed an FIR against her.
The fraudsters told her that to avoid police custody, she had to apply for a "digital custody." Under pressure, she agreed to a seven-day digital custody period, during which she was instructed not to speak to anyone else and to stay in direct contact with the scammers.
To gain her trust, the fraudsters sent her forged documents with fake seals of CBI, Delhi Police, and the Financial Department. Initially, they convinced her to transfer her mutual funds into her bank account. Then, on December 7, 2024, they told her that all her bank accounts were under investigation and she needed to transfer her funds into a "secret supervision account." Fearing legal trouble, she transferred a total of ₹34.50 lakh from her bank accounts.
Later, when she asked for a clearance letter, they demanded an additional ₹13 lakh, claiming that her transactions were suspicious. When she refused, they warned her that the clearance process could take anywhere between two to 13 months.
After December 31, 2024, the fraudsters' phone numbers became inactive. It was only then that she realized she had been scammed. She immediately lodged a complaint at the Cyber Police Station in BKC, Mumbai, and also reported the fraud on an online grievance portal.
The Mumbai Cyber Crime Department has urged citizens to remain vigilant against fraudsters posing as government officials. They have advised people to never share financial details, transfer money, or believe in "digital arrests" without verifying with the police.