
A 58-year-old officer from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unfortunately fallen victim to a courier scam, resulting in the loss of her savings amounting to ₹24.5 lakh. The scam was carried out by an imposter who posed as a police officer from Mumbai and extorted money from the victim.
Complaint Filed and Case Registered by Cyber Crime Police
Upon receiving a complaint from the RBI employee, the cyber crime police have taken action and registered a case against the scammer. The charges include cheating, impersonation, and violations of various sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Modus Operandi of the Scammer
According to the victim’s complaint, the conman contacted her on her mobile phone, pretending to be a police officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch. He claimed to be conducting an inquiry and informed her that there was a courier in her name. The contents of the supposed courier included five passports, three credit cards, a laptop, and 200 grams of MDMA. Furthermore, the scammer alleged that the victim was implicated in a money laundering case and had possible links to a terror suspect named M. D. Mallik.
Money Transferred from Bank Accounts
During the phone call, the imposter requested access to the victim’s bank accounts to verify her transaction details. Unfortunately, the victim complied, and the scammer proceeded to transfer a total of ₹24.5 lakh from different bank accounts. The fraud only came to light when the victim later contacted her family and colleagues to share the incident. Upon attempting to call back the number from which she received the initial call, she discovered that it was no longer reachable.
Investigation and Efforts to Recover the Funds
The police are currently taking action to freeze the bank accounts where the money was transferred. Simultaneously, they are working on tracking down the scammer based on the mobile phone he used during the fraudulent activities. The investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to apprehend the accused and recover the stolen funds. It is crucial for individuals to remain vigilant and cautious when receiving unexpected calls or messages requesting personal or financial information. Always verify the identity of the caller and refrain from sharing sensitive details unless absolutely necessary and from trusted sources.