Woman in Noida received fraudulent notices from a fake investigation agency via WhatsApp, resulting in a loss of Rs. 34 lakh.
Woman in Noida received fraudulent notices from a fake investigation agency via WhatsApp, resulting in a loss of ₹ 34 lakh.
A woman fell victim to cyber criminals who executed a “digital arrest,” swindling her out of ₹ 34 lakh by sending her fraudulent notices purportedly from the Enforcement Directorate, officials reported on Sunday.
A woman was defrauded in a scheme labeled as a “digital arrest,” leading to a financial loss of ₹ 34 lakh, as reported by authorities on Sunday
Nidhi Paliwal, a resident of Sector-41, reported that fraudsters contacted her through WhatsApp, requesting a sum of ₹ 34 lakh. Additionally, she mentioned in her complaint that one of the suspects initiated a video call with her on Skype, although the video was turned off.
The cybercriminals misled her by sending fake notices that appeared to be from the Enforcement Directorate. They claimed that a package was being sent from Mumbai to Iran in her name, allegedly containing five passports, two debit cards, two laptops, 900 US dollars, and 200 grams of narcotics. As per her complaint, the victim received a call from the scammers around 10 pm on August 8.
Inspector Gautam stated that the accused has also issued two notices to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), containing serious allegations against the victim. He confirmed that an investigation into the matter is currently in progress.
A notable increase in “digital arrest” scams has been reported in the country over the past few months.
During the 115th episode of the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio program, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed this issue and urged the public to stay alert to the psychological manipulation tactics used by fraudsters.
“People from every class and age group fall victim to digital arrest. People have lost lakhs of rupees earned through their hard work, out of sheer fear. Whenever you receive such a call, don’t be scared. You should be aware that no investigative agency ever inquires like this through a phone call or a video call,” the PM had informed the nation.
