How A Navi Mumbai Woman Was Duped Of Rs 12 Lakh By Cyber Fraudsters

Navi Mumbai: Police have initiated an investigation into four cyber fraudsters who allegedly swindled Rs 12 lakh from a 33-year-old woman residing in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai, an official reported on Tuesday. The incident took place between October 23 and 25. "The accused contacted the victim multiple times, falsely claiming to be representatives of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). They said she faces several charges like money laundering, human trafficking, illegal advertisements, and public harassment," the official said.They informed her that to resolve her issues, she would need to pay a total of Rs 12.35 lakh. Following their instructions, she transferred the amount. However, after the transaction, she was unable to contact them and soon realised that she had been scammed, the official said. Based on her complaint, the police registered a case on October 27 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 204 (personating a public servant), 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by personation.), and 3(5) (common intention), he said. More details are awaited.In another similar incident, a 67-year-old Mumbai-based woman was placed under "digital arrest" by online fraudsters, who forced her to pay Rs 14 lakh in exchange for clearing her name in a non-existent money laundering case, police have said. As per the advisory of cyber-security agency CERT-In, a digital arrest is the one in which victims receive a phone call, an e-mail, or a message claiming they are under investigation for illegal activities, such as identity theft or money laundering.(With agency inputs)