Senior citizen duped of Rs 10 lakh by fraudsters posing as cyber cell officials in Navi Mumbai

Thane, Jul 19 (PTI) A 68-year-old woman from Navi Mumbai allegedly lost Rs 10 lakh to two cyber fraudsters who posed as officials from the telecom department and Mumbai cyber cell investigating her for money laundering, police said on Saturday.

The complainant, a retired bank employee, received phone calls from two unknown mobile numbers on July 15 and 16, during which the callers claimed there were allegations of money laundering and smuggling of body parts against her, an official said.

He said the callers allegedly introduced themselves as officials from the telecom department and the Mumbai cyber cell.

"The accused managed to gain the victim's trust by invoking fear and urgency, and instructed her to withdraw money from her account under the pretext of placing it into fixed deposits for verification purposes," the officer explained.

He said that the complainant transferred Rs 10 lakh to a bank account mentioned by the callers. But on contacting the relevant authorities, she later discovered that there were no such complaints or investigations against her.

Efforts are currently underway to trace the accused and their locations using technical surveillance.

"We are verifying the phone numbers and bank account details used in the crime," the officer said.

An FIR has been registered under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 319(2) (cheating by personation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, he said. PTI COR ARU