Hyderabad, August 31: A 71 year old retired SBI employee and his wife from Malakpet allegedly lost Rs 64 lakh in a digital arrest scam.
Fraudsters reportedly kept the couple under surveillance for more than four months. They claimed the retired employee had links to the Pahalgam attack case.
The ordeal began on April 9. The victim received a call from a person claiming to represent a private bank.
The caller alleged that Rs 1.06 lakh remained unpaid on a credit card issued in the victim’s name in Mumbai. Later, other callers told him that police had registered a criminal case against him.
The fraudsters then connected him to a WhatsApp video call. One person posed as an IPS officer during the call.
The impersonator claimed that the victim’s name had appeared in a Pahalgam attack case involving a person named Sandeep Kumar.
The fraudsters also appeared to possess personal information about the family. They mentioned the victim’s grandson in the United States and his daughter’s daily commute.
They allegedly threatened to implicate the grandson in a drug case if the couple refused to cooperate.
Fearing for their family, the couple followed the instructions. On April 10, the victim transferred Rs 2 lakh.
Fraudsters Pressured Couple to Sell Property
The alleged fraud continued through frequent calls and video calls. The fraudsters reportedly monitored the victim’s movements and asked about people visiting his house.
They demanded another Rs 8 lakh on April 15. When the victim said he had no money left, they allegedly pressured him to obtain loans.
The victim reportedly raised money through pension and gold loans and other borrowings.
Later, the fraudsters claimed that he faced a money laundering case. They also alleged that he owned a property at Narapally.
They pressured him to sell the property and transfer the sale proceeds. The victim said the property was worth more than Rs 1 crore.
However, he allegedly sold it for around Rs 75 lakh. The property registration took place on August 19.
The couple remained under the fraudsters’ control until August 22. They later came across a newspaper report about digital arrest scams.
The report helped the victim realise that he had fallen victim to fraud. He then approached Hyderabad Cybercrime police.
Police registered a case and launched an investigation into the alleged fraud. The investigation will seek to identify the callers and trace the money transferred by the victims.
The case also highlights how fraudsters can use personal information and threats to keep victims under prolonged psychological pressure.
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