Thane Cyber Scam: Fraudsters Impersonate Police, Dupe Woman of ₹17 Lakhs in Taiwan Drug Parcel Hoax

A 31-year-old working woman from Dhokhali, Thane West, fell victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing ₹17,00,000 The victim was duped by scammers posing as law enforcement officials, who claimed that a courier package sent by her to Taiwan contained illegal drugs.

The fraudsters initiated contact through a phone call from an unknown number. A female caller informed the victim that MD drugs were found in a courier package allegedly sent by her to Taiwan, and that a police complaint had been filed against her with the Narcotics Department.

Subsequently, a male accomplice, claiming to be a police officer  from the Narcotics Department instructed the victim to download the Skype app for verification purposes. During a video call, the scammer pressured the victim into taking a loan of 17,00,000 rupees from her ICICI Bank account, ostensibly to avoid legal action. The amount was then transferred online to the fraudsters.

Based on the victim's complaint, the Kapurbawdi Police Station has registered a case under sections 66(c) and 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, and section 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita against the unknown mobile phone holders. The investigation is ongoing.

Thane Police has issued a public warning, urging citizens to be cautious of such scams. They advise against trusting phone calls about courier packages containing illegal substances, sharing bank details or personal information with strangers, receiving video calls from unknown persons, clicking on suspicious website or app links, and falling for promises of high returns in online investment schemes.