Thane Man Falls Victim to Rs.59 Lakh Scam by Fraudsters Impersonating Government Officials
Thane Man Falls Victim to ₹59 Lakh Scam by Fraudsters Impersonating Government Officials
A resident of Thane has fallen victim to a scam, losing ₹59 lakh to fraudsters impersonating Customs and CBI officials, according to confirmed reports.
A 54-year-old man from Thane, Maharashtra, fell victim to cyber fraud, losing ₹59 lakh after scammers impersonating customs officials and CBI agents threatened him with legal action over supposed criminal activities.
A case has been filed under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 319(2) (cheating by personation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as applicable provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act. The police are currently investigating to identify the scammers behind this offense.
“The victim received multiple phone calls from a person who identified himself as a customs officer from Delhi. He told that a parcel belonging to the victim had been seized and drugs were found inside it. The caller claimed that the case was being transferred to the CBI for further probe,” says the police.
The victim received a phone call from someone claiming to be a “CBI official.” This individual informed him that his name was associated with grave criminal offenses, such as human trafficking and money laundering. He was instructed to pay ₹59 lakh to settle the issue and exonerate himself from the allegations.
The fraud occurred from November 26 to December 2, during which the victim was tricked into sending money to the scammers by the intimidation of potential legal consequences.
The victim deposited funds into the bank accounts given by the callers. Once the transfer was completed, he recognized that he had been scammed and went to the police to report the incident.
Scammers are constantly devising new methods to deceive their targets. They are leveraging AI technology to pinpoint potential victims and exploit their vulnerabilities. Recent graduates are receiving fraudulent job offers, while middle-aged parents face threats of legal action. Retirees are being coaxed into revealing sensitive financial information under the guise of assisting with KYC updates.
