Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): A 79-year-old retired man was duped of ₹45 lakh after being held in a “digital arrest” by fraudsters for two days in Jabalpur.
He was duped by a caller who falsely claimed that a parcel sent in his name contained illegal items, including drugs, and that a case had been registered against him.
According to information, the elderly victim, a resident of the Civil Lines area, received a call from someone claiming to be a customs officer.
The caller falsely informed him that a parcel sent in his name was found containing illegal items, including drugs, and that a case had been registered against him.
Panicked by the claim, the senior citizen was then transferred to another caller impersonating a Mumbai police official.
Using fear and pressure tactics, the fraudsters convinced the man to isolate himself in a hotel room for two days, during which they maintained constant video contact through WhatsApp and instructed him not to talk to anyone.
The accused manipulated the victim into transferring ₹45 lakh in multiple transactions under the pretext of verifying his identity and clearing his name from the alleged charges.
After finally contacting his family and realizing he had been cheated, the man filed a complaint. Jabalpur police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
Officials have urged citizens to stay alert against such scams and to immediately report suspicious calls to the cybercrime helpline 1930.
