Kolkata: A 69-year-old widow of a senior Indian Army officer lost Rs 15 lakh to cybercriminals posing as Mumbai Police officers in a “digital arrest” scam.
Police said the callers posed as Mumbai Police officers and claimed she was implicated in serious criminal cases. “Older adults often possess a deep-seated respect for govt institutions such as the CBI or Customs authorities,” a senior divisional police officer explained. “When scammers display forged documents bearing official seals or a national emblem over video calls, the victims’ immediate reaction is compliance rooted in fear, rather than skepticism,” he added.
They also falsely asserted that all mobile numbers registered in her name had been seized, threatening her with immediate arrest. Kalighat police and the south division cyber cell are tracing the beneficiary accounts and phone numbers. Police stressed that genuine officers never demand money or bank details over calls or messages. They urged citizens, particularly seniors, to disconnect suspicious calls and report them at cybercrime.gov.in or their local police station.