Drugs In Parcel Fraud: Elderly Pune Man Loses Rs 1.27 Crore in Online Scam
Drugs In Parcel Fraud: Elderly Pune Man Loses Rs 1.27 Crore in Online Scam
A 73-year-old retired man from Pune fell victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing his entire life savings amounting to Rs 1.27 crore.
The cyber fraudsters, posing as police officers, duped the senior citizen through a ‘drugs-in-parcel’ scheme, manipulating him into making large financial transfers over three days.
The ordeal began when the man received a call from someone claiming to be an executive of an international courier company, informing him that a parcel addressed to Taiwan in his name had been intercepted. The call was swiftly transferred to a supposed ‘Mumbai Cyber’ police officer, who coerced the elderly man into disclosing extensive personal and financial details under the threat of dire consequences.
Further calls from individuals posing as officers from the Narcotics Department convinced the victim that his identity was being misused for receiving ‘terrorist funds’. Assuring him that they would assist due to his age, the fraudsters instructed him to liquidate his fixed deposits and investments, and transfer the funds to purported ‘government accounts’. Subsequently, the victim transferred Rs 50 lakh, 56 lakh, and 21 lakh over three days as instructed.
Realizing the deception after continuous demands for more money, the distressed man approached the Cyber Crime police in Pune to report the fraud. Authorities highlighted the increasing prevalence of such scams, where cyber criminals adapt tactics to manipulate and extort victims, posing as law enforcement agencies or other authorities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories warning citizens about these fraudulent activities, urging vigilance against intimidation, blackmail, and extortion by individuals posing as various law enforcement entities.
