Cyber fraudsters dupe Nagpur retirees of Rs 1.07 crore posing as NIA officers

Cyber criminals duped retired officials in Nagpur of Rs 1.07 crore by threatening them with alleged links to terrorists.

An 82-year-old complainant living in Dharampeth received a video call from a mobile number on September 1. The caller identified himself as an officer from the NIA's ATS department. He told the complainant that an ICICI Bank ATM card had been used to withdraw Rs 2.5 crore in connection with the Delhi bomb blast. He said the complainant would receive Rs 25 lakh as commission on this amount. Threatening arrest in the case, he sent a fake ICICI Bank statement, a Visa card and an RBI warrant. Claiming the complainant was under digital arrest, he kept the complainant and his wife under video call surveillance. He then gave details of three bank accounts and forced them to transfer Rs 87.50 lakh into these accounts.

In a similar case, a 70-year-old complainant living in Dhantoli received a video call on September 19 in which the caller claimed to be calling from Mumbai's Colaba police station. He was threatened with alleged links to terrorists and told that an arrest warrant had been issued in his name. He was asked to send money in the name of money verification. The complainant sent Rs 20.10 lakh through RTGS. He later realised he had been duped. The cyber police have registered a case under fraud and IT Act provisions.