Retired SMO in Amritsar loses Rs 23 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam

A 76-year-old retired Senior Medical Officer (SMO) from Amritsar fell victim to a cyber-fraud, losing Rs 23 lakh to scammers posing as law enforcement officers from Mumbai. The incident occurred on December 5, 2024, and a case was registered after a preliminary probe.

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The victim received a WhatsApp call from the scammers, who claimed he was involved in a money laundering case at Tilak Nagar Andheri police station in Mumbai. Despite the victim’s denial, the scammers convinced him to share his bank account details and transfer Rs 23 lakh to an educational and charitable trust in Karnataka.

According to the police, when the victim answered the WhatsApp call, the caller immediately claimed that he was involved in money laundering and that a case had been filed against him. The victim denied any involvement, but the caller introduced himself as a sub-inspector with the Mumbai police and stated that, as an innocent person, he would need to cooperate with the investigation, which would be conducted by his senior.

The call was then transferred to another person posing as a police officer, who alleged that the victim’s credentials had been used for money laundering. The scammer demanded that the victim share his bank account details, which he reluctantly provided. The caller threatened to freeze the victim’s assets, claiming that he had committed a serious fraud.

Despite the victim’s repeated denials, the scammer instructed him to transfer all his funds to a specified bank account via RTGS to avoid arrest. The scammer assured the victim that if he was found innocent, the funds would be returned to his account. The victim, intimidated by the call, shared his bank account details on WhatsApp and transferred Rs 23 lakh to the scammer’s account.

The scammers kept the victim under “digital arrest” for nearly two days, threatening him with arrest and property seizure. The victim eventually lodged a complaint with the police on December 6, 2024.

A case has been registered against unknown fraudsters under Section 318 of the BNS and Section 66 (D) of the IT Act. The police are investigating the matter further.