Second digital arrest scam from South Delhi’s GK in a week: 70-year-old widow duped of Rs 6.9 crore

Meenakshi’s husband, a businessman, had passed away years ago. “Her son lives in Australia and her daughter stays in Gurgaon,” an officer said.

Police said Meenakshi first received a call from the alleged scammers on January 6. “She received a call from a man claiming to be a Mumbai Police officer, who told her that a mobile number registered in her name had been used to obtain SIM cards for illegal activities,” the officer said.

The caller allegedly gained her confidence by asking about her life, family background, and assets before transferring the call to another man who claimed to be an ED officer.

“The person, posing as an ED officer, told the woman that the SIM cards were used in a money-laundering case and that she would now have to come to Mumbai,” the officer also said.

When Meenakshi expressed fear and confusion, police said, the alleged impersonator told her that the matter could be resolved through a “verification process” ordered by the court.

On January 9, Meenakshi made her first transfer of Rs 4 crore, police said. Within hours, the scammers extracted a second RTGS transfer of Rs 1.3 crore, even as bank officials handling Meenakshi’s accounts began to suspect irregularities.

“Bank officials asked her if she was facing any problem. However, since the scammers had warned her to keep the matter confidential, she told them that the transfer was meant for her daughter, as part of a property settlement,” an officer investigating the case said.

A few days later came the final demand.

On January 12, Meenakshi was allegedly coerced into transferring another Rs 1.6 crore, after being assured that she would receive all the money back once the “verification process” was complete.

Police said the scammers never contacted her again. “She waited for a day and then realised she had been cheated. She filed a complaint on Wednesday,” the officer said.