Bengaluru Senior Citizen Loses Rs 1.94 Crore to Cyber Fraudsters
In a shocking incident, a senior citizen in Bengaluru was duped of Rs 1.94 crore from his fixed deposit due to a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme. The victim, a 68-year-old man referred to as Manpreet (name changed), was allegedly held under digital arrest for seven days by scammers posing as officials from the Mumbai crime branch, claiming he was implicated in a money laundering case linked to Indian businessman Naresh Goyal.
The ordeal began on November 30 when Manpreet received a WhatsApp video call from an unknown number. The scammers, using a setup that convincingly resembled a police station, informed Manpreet that he was connected to money laundering activities involving Goyal. They claimed to have confiscated 247 ATM cards during their investigation, alleging that Manpreet’s ATM card was among those seized, which intensified his anxiety.
In their manipulation, the fraudsters asserted that it had been proven he received commissions from Goyal and was directly involved in the alleged crime. They instructed him to report to the Mumbai crime branch for “interrogation” but later opted to place him under digital arrest instead. They requested his bank details, asserting that discussing the supposed investigation with anyone was prohibited.
Under immense pressure, Manpreet was coerced into transferring a massive sum of Rs 1.94 crore in multiple transactions to the fraudsters. It wasn’t until he confided in his younger daughter about the situation on December 7 that he realized he was the victim of a scam. His daughter promptly took him to the nearest police station to file a complaint.
An officer familiar with the case revealed that Manpreet had broken his fixed deposit to satisfy the demands of the scammers. Initially, the case was registered at a police station in southeast Bengaluru, but it has since been transferred to the southeast CEN police station for further investigation.
According to senior police officials, scammers often gather victims’ bank details to identify financial holdings and direct them to make transfers. Investigators noted that using the names of well-known personalities like Goyal is a prevalent tactic among scammers, a strategy that has previously been employed in other scams as well.
This incident highlights the growing menace of cyber fraud and the importance of vigilance in protecting personal information.
