Retired army colonel in Bengaluru becomes victim of online fraud; loses Rs 56 lakh    

An 83-year-old retired army colonel here became the latest victim of online fraud, losing Rs 56.05 lakh after scammers impersonating Mumbai police officers threatened him with arrest.

An FIR was registered at the Central CEN crime police station on November 18, officials said on Friday.

According to the FIR, the victim received a call on October 27 from a man identifying himself as Mumbai police inspector Sanjay Pishe, who claimed that a SIM card issued in the complainant's name had been used to abuse the public.

When the elderly man said he was unable to travel to Mumbai for an inquiry, he was connected via video call to a woman identifying herself as senior officer Kavita Pomane, and later to another person named Vishwas, who claimed to be a senior official.

The callers told him the inquiry would be conducted online and allegedly extracted his personal, family and bank details while threatening him with arrest if he disclosed it to anyone, it said.

They also demanded his live location every three hours and instructed him to share his bank details on WhatsApp for “RBI verification”, the FIR stated.

Believing them, the complainant shared details of four bank accounts and, on their instructions, transferred Rs 6 lakh and Rs 5 lakh from his bank account to another account as specified by the fraudsters.

Later, he was directed to liquidate his mutual funds and other investments. He then transferred another Rs 35.05 lakh from his bank accounts and Rs 10 lakh more to the same bank account specified by the fraudsters.

When he sought a refund, the impostors claimed that the RBI was verifying the funds and would return the money within three days.

Based on the victim's complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and Section 318(4) (Cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said, adding that further investigation is under way.