Mumbai Woman Loses ₹7.21 Cr in Elaborate Cyber Scam
By ThePip Desk
A 68-year-old Mumbai woman was scammed out of ₹7.21 crore by cybercriminals impersonating officials, threatening her with false charges. Funds were moved to bank accounts and crypto.
A 68-year-old Mumbai woman has been defrauded of Rs 7.21 crore in a sophisticated cyber scam, involving impersonations of government and financial agency officials. The victim was coerced into transferring funds to various bank accounts and a cryptocurrency wallet under threat of false money laundering and terror funding charges.
The elaborate scheme began in April when the woman received a call from an individual claiming to be ‘Rajkumar Das’ from the National Data Protection Board of India. This initial contact alleged her phone number was implicated in cybercrime activities.
Subsequently, ‘John Mathew’, an alleged Assistant Commissioner of Police, contacted her via WhatsApp video call. He presented fake notices and official orders supposedly from a court, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The fraudsters threatened the victim with accusations of money laundering and terror funding, explicitly linking her to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and unnamed terrorists. This sustained pressure aimed to compel her to prove her innocence.
Financial Diversion Tactics
Under duress, the victim liquidated her financial assets, despite having retired in 2024. She broke fixed deposits and redeemed mutual funds as instructed by the fraudsters.
The substantial sum of Rs 7.21 crore was then transferred. These funds were directed into various specified bank accounts and, notably, a cryptocurrency wallet.
Aftermath and Official Response
The retired woman realized she had been a victim of fraud after conducting online searches for the alleged agencies. This independent verification prompted her to take action.
She promptly filed a complaint with the cybercrime helpline. The South Region Cyber Police subsequently registered a case concerning the incident.
This incident underscores the persistent and evolving threat of digital financial scams, particularly those leveraging fear and sophisticated impersonation tactics against individuals. The use of cryptocurrency wallets in such schemes highlights a growing vector for illicit fund transfers.