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Ex-Navy officer threatened with ‘money laundering case’, duped of Rs. 14.5 lakh by cyber fraudster in Mumbai

The Mumbai police said the victim received several calls from a man posing as a police officer to issue the threat.

The caller told the complainant that his SIM card would be deactivated because illegal activities were being carried out through the number

The caller told the complainant that his SIM card would be deactivated because illegal activities were being carried out using the number. (Representative Image)

An 87-year-old former lieutenant commander with the Indian Navy was duped of Rs. 14.5 lakh after a cyber fraudster claiming to be a Mumbai police Crime Branch officer threatened to book him in a money laundering case.

According to the police, the fraudsters told the senior citizen that he was working on a commission basis, and was supposed to get 10 per cent commission on a transaction of Rs 2 crore. They made him transfer Rs. 14 lakh of his entire savings to avoid arrest in the case.

The police said the complainant, a resident of Jogeshwari (East), received a WhatsApp call on July 24, and the caller introduced himself as Sub-Inspector Malhotra from the Telecom Department in Delhi.

The caller told the complainant that his SIM card would be deactivated because illegal activities were being carried out through the number, and the Mumbai Crime Branch has registered a case of money laundering against him based on the complaint registered by 24 people.

The caller added that an investigating officer, Vikram Goswami, would interrogate him. The complainant received another call after some time. The victim was forced to make a video call from an isolated place, and the fraudsters threatened him that if he discussed the issue with anyone, he would be arrested.

The caller even sent an arrest warrant on the complainant’s phone, asking him to provide information about his whereabouts. The person called again, saying that the CBI director would question him.

This time, the caller’s profile photo had the logo of the Mumbai police, and started threatening the victim that a warrant had been issued against him and he would be arrested at any time.

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As the victim got scared, the caller forced him to transfer his entire savings to a bank account. He told the victim the money would be kept as a deposit, and after verification, if he were found innocent, his money would be transferred again to his bank account.

The complainant agreed to send the money and transferred it to the given bank accounts by fraud.

However, he realised that he had been duped when he started calling the same number on August 6 to request them to send his money back, as he was innocent, but found the number was out of service. He then discussed it with his family, and approached the cyber police and registered a case.

The police said a case has been registered under several sections of the BNS, and they are checking the bank account to find out the accused.

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