In yet another shocking case of cyber fraud, a woman was duped of ₹1,12,650 after fraudsters lured her with a fake prize claim in the popular quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). The accused gained her trust using forged documents, fake bank cheques, and references to the Reserve Bank of India. The Mumbai Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
According to police, the 47-year-old victim stated that on the night of March 18, she was browsing Facebook when she came across a page related to KBC, which claimed that users could win prizes by answering questions. Interested, she responded to the questions for two consecutive days, unknowingly falling into the trap.
On the morning of March 20, she received a call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as a member of the KBC team and informed her that she had won a four-wheeler car and a cash prize of ₹8.5 lakh. To make the claim appear genuine, the fraudsters sent her images of a car, fake bank cheques, Aadhaar and PAN card details, and other identification proofs via WhatsApp.
Believing the documents to be authentic, the woman proceeded further. The fraudsters then demanded money under the pretext of processing fees, TDS, and GST. Trusting them, she transferred a total of ₹1,12,650 through multiple transactions.
The fraud came to light when her husband returned home and, after hearing the incident, immediately identified it as a cyber scam. The family then approached the police.
A case has been registered at Vile Parle Police Station against unknown persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the IT Act, including Sections 318(4) and 66(C)(D). Police are currently tracing the accused based on mobile numbers and UPI transaction details.