A businessman from Nepean Sea Road fell prey to a cyber fraudster impersonating as a police officer, claiming his son was detained in a rape case. The scammer demanded Rs50,000 urgently. Unable to reach his son and fearing the worst, the man transferred Rs49,500 to the fraudsters bank account.
As per the Azad Maidan police, a person called the complainant, Ashok Purohit, 76, on Monday and said, “Your son is in our custody. We have arrested him in a rape case. You respect our uniform and send Rs50,000.” The caller sent the complainant a bank account number to transfer the amount.
Purohit attempted to verify the caller’s threat by contacting his son but he did not answer the phone. Subsequently, feeling anxious, he visited the bank and deposited Rs49,500 into the account provided by the caller.
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When Purohit came back to his office after depositing the money in the bank, he called his son again. This time he picked up the phone and said that he was sitting in a lecture at his college and hence could not take the call.
Realising that he had been cheated, he went to the Azad Maidan police station and lodged a complaint. The police have registered an FIR against an unknown person in this matter and are investigating.
