Mumbai: A Mumbai doctor, Dr Blessy Esther, fell victim to a cyber fraudster posing as a police officer, resulting in a loss of ₹7.33 lakh. Under sections 419, 420, and 465 of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, a case was registered against the unidentified accused last week.
Dr Esther received a call on February 29, purportedly from a courier company employee. The caller claimed that a parcel intercepted at Mumbai airport in her name contained passports, credit cards, drugs, clothes, and a laptop. The call was then allegedly transferred to the cyber police, who, posing as a police official, initiated a video call. During the call, the doctor was informed about fake bank accounts opened in her name, funding terror activities.
The accused, maintaining the guise of a police official, sent a letter on the deputy commissioner of police’s letterhead, forging the signature of Navi Mumbai commissioner Milind Bharambe. The doctor received an intimation from an unknown number, instructing her to deposit ₹6.8 lakh for account verification by the authorities.
Believing the money would be returned within half an hour, Dr Esther transferred the amount. Subsequently, the accused asked for an additional ₹48,800 for filing affidavits, assuring a clean chit. Realizing she had been duped when the promised refund did not materialize, the doctor reported the incident to the police.
The elaborate scam involved impersonation, forged documents, and manipulation, exposing vulnerabilities in communication systems. This case underscores the need for heightened awareness and vigilance against evolving cyber fraud tactics. Authorities are actively investigating, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding personal information to prevent falling prey to such deceptive schemes.
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