Status: Not Approved
The fraudsters told him that his SIM card was used in a Delhi blast case and that Rs 8 lakh was credited to his bank account in connection with the crime, according to police sources. The victim, a resident of MC Garden Road under Nagabazar police station, lives with his wife, a schoolteacher, and their younger daughter, aged 15. Police launched an investigation.
The former railway official fell prey to the fraudsters on February 18, but, terrified by threats of a “digital arrest”, he approached the police only on Tuesday. His elder daughter is pursuing a course in cyber law at a university in England.
Kolkata: A 68-year-old retired railway official from Nagerbazar in Dum Dum lost Rs 48 lakh after falling victim to a “digital arrest” cyber fraud while his daughter was studying cyber law in England. The cyber fraudsters also threatened him with arrest over a fabricated terror charge,” a senior police officer of the Barrackpore Commissionerate said. Nagabazar police earlier circulated advisories to banks in the area in view of a spate of digital arrest scams,” an investigating officer said.
“Claiming that an arrest warrant was issued in his name, they threatened that he must reach Delhi within an hour or Kolkata Police would arrest him and his family members. “Fearing social disgrace and legal consequences, the victim went to his bank and began transferring money via RTGS. After the first transaction, bank officials questioned him about the purpose and recipient of the transfer.
He was then told that, to avoid arrest, he would have to pay a “fine” by transferring all the money in his bank account. The scammers assured him that, after the completion of the “investigation” and necessary clearance from the court and the Reserve Bank of India, the amount would be refunded after deducting a nominal penalty.