Senior Citizen ‘Digitally Arrested’, Duped of Rs 1.5 Crore by Cyber Fraudsters in Bhubaneswar
The fraudsters reportedly made the victim transfer Rs 70 lakh in the first phase and another Rs 80 lakh later, draining a total of Rs 1.5 crore from his accounts.
Bhubaneswar: In a shocking case of cybercrime, a senior citizen in Bhubaneswar was duped of Rs 1.5 crore by online fraudsters who allegedly kept him under a so-called “digital arrest” for ten days.
According to police sources, the victim was trapped by cybercriminals posing as officials of the Customs Department. They falsely claimed that his bank account was linked to a money-laundering case and coerced him into transferring money under threat of legal action.
The fraudsters reportedly made the victim transfer Rs 70 lakh in the first phase and another Rs 80 lakh later, draining a total of Rs 1.5 crore from his accounts.
After the victim filed a complaint, the Cybercrime Police swung into action and managed to freeze Rs 12 lakh of the defrauded amount.
Officials said such scams often target vulnerable individuals, especially senior citizens, using intimidation and fake identities of enforcement agencies. They have urged people to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls or messages claiming to be from government departments and to verify such claims through official channels.
No comments could be obtained from the Cyber Police Station regarding the ongoing investigation.