Mumbai Man Loses Rs 11 Lakh in Cyber Scam as Fraudsters Pose as CBI, ED Officers.
Mumbai, 7th February 2025: In yet another cyber fraud incident, a 28-year-old man from the city lost more than ₹11 lakh to scammers impersonating law enforcement officials. The fraudsters falsely claimed that a courier from China, allegedly linked to him, had been intercepted with multiple passports, a laptop, and 150 grams of MDMA, a prohibited substance. To make their scheme appear credible, they even sent him three forged documents related to the so-called investigation.
The scammers executed their plan by posing as officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Mumbai Cyber Crime. Through a series of deceptive calls and messages, they coerced the victim into transferring his savings into fraudulent bank accounts.
The ordeal began when the victim, employed at a corporate firm in Worli, received a call from an unknown number, supposedly from the Mumbai Post Office. The caller, a woman who introduced herself as Neha Sharma, claimed that a suspicious parcel in his name had been intercepted. She alleged that the package contained six passports, several ATM cards, a laptop, and 150 grams of MDMA. Though the victim denied any involvement, the caller escalated the situation by transferring the call to a so-called cybercrimee officer.”
Later, he received a video call via WhatsApp from a number allegedly belonging to a senior police officer. On the call, a man dressed in a police uniform informed him that he was a suspect in a money laundering case tied to a prominent businessman, whose associates had already been apprehended. To add legitimacy to the con, the scammers provided three fake official letters, complete with law enforcement seals.
Terrified of being arrested, the victim was then contacted by another fraudster who introduced himself as IPS officer Bal Singh Rajput. This fake officer convinced him that his bank accounts needed to be “verified” as part of the ongoing probe.
Under immense pressure, the victim followed their instructions, providing his banking details and transferring his savings to an “escrow account” for supposed verification. He first liquidated a ₹5 lakh Fixed Deposit (FD) at Canara Bank, then sent ₹99,000 to a Bandhan Bank account, and eventually transferred ₹10 lakh to a Federal Bank account. After realizing he had been deceived, he blocked the scammers’ numbers and immediately reported the fraud to the Cyber Helpline (1930) and Mumbai Police.
The Sion police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the fraudulent bank accounts used in the scam. Authorities have urged citizens to exercise caution and never disclose financial details or transfer money under duress. “No government agency or police officer will ever demand money transfers as part of an investigation. If you receive such calls, disconnect immediately and report them,” a police advisory warned.
