Elderly Mumbai Residents Defrauded Of ₹4.79 Crore In Cyber Scam By Conmen Impersonating Police, CBI, And Telecom Officials

Mumbai: In a disturbing trend of cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Mumbai, two elderly individuals were collectively defrauded of Rs4.79 crore by scammers posing as officials from the Telecom Department, Delhi Police, Colaba Police, and the CBI. The victims, 82-year-old Bidhin Manharlal Bakshi from Vile Parle (West) and 68-year-old Dhanalakshmi Satyanarayan Rao Naidu from Andheri (West), lodged complaints with the West Region Cyber Police Station, leading to FIRs against unidentified perpetrators under sections of the BNS and the Information Technology Act for impersonation, forgery, cheating, and criminal intimidation.

Scam Call Sparks Fear and ₹1.08 Crore Loss

On September 30, Bakshi received a WhatsApp video call from an individual claiming to be Pawan Kumar from the Telecom Department in Delhi, alleging that Bakshi’s Aadhaar card was misused to open a fake Canara Bank account linked to illegal international transactions. Subsequent calls from fraudsters posing as Delhi Police sub-inspector Khushi Sharma and CBI officer Hemraj Kohli escalated the deception, claiming a criminal case was registered against him at Connaught Place Police Station. They warned of an imminent arrest warrant for Bakshi and his family unless he complied. Convinced by their threats, Bakshi transferred Rs1.08 crore from his and his wife’s accounts to “safe accounts” for a so-called clearance certificate, under strict instructions not to inform anyone.

Similarly, on August 18, Naidu received a call from a man identifying himself as Vijay Paul, connecting her to “SK Jaiswal” from Colaba Police via a WhatsApp video call. The fraudsters accused her of involvement in a Rs6 crore money laundering case linked to a Canara Bank account opened with her Aadhaar details, citing a fake case (HQ No. 8817) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. They claimed she was under investigation alongside businessman Naresh Goyal. A sham “online hearing” with a fake judge named Chandrachud denied her bail, pressuring her to transfer Rs3.71 crore from her mutual funds via RTGS for “security verification.” The scammers later demanded more money and became evasive when Naidu sought a refund.

Victims Approach Cyber Police After Realising Fraud

Both victims, realising they were deceived, approached the West Region Cyber Police. Naidu also reported the fraud via the 1930 cybercrime helpline, providing chats, transaction details, and screenshots. The police are investigating the use of forged police and CBI logos, fabricated FIRs, and fake letters.

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