A 79-year-old woman, whose husband is a retired Army officer, was allegedly duped of ₹38 lakh after cybercriminals posing as Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officers falsely linked her to a terror case.
The scam began on July 2 when the woman, who was alone at home, received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as an ACP from the Mumbai ATS and claimed that authorities had recovered ₹58 crore from a terrorist. He allegedly told her that 10% of the seized money had been transferred to her bank account.
When the woman said she could not travel to Mumbai for questioning, the fraudsters switched to a video call. Appearing in police uniforms and displaying the ATS logo, they told her she had to remain on camera throughout the investigation.
The scammers allegedly maintained the appearance of a genuine police inquiry, addressing her respectfully and keeping her engaged on the call. They also obtained her identity documents and bank account details.
The fraudsters then told her that the money in her account had to be transferred to a government bank account for verification. They promised that the amount would be returned with interest if she was found innocent.
Frightened by the alleged terror link and shown a fake police letter, the woman transferred ₹38 lakh in multiple instalments to accounts provided by the scammers.
She became suspicious only after the transfers were completed and informed her family. They realised she had been targeted in a cyber fraud and approached the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police.
Police are investigating the case and the interstate gang allegedly involved in the scam.
The case highlights how digital arrest fraudsters exploit fear, impersonate law-enforcement officials and use fake documents and video calls to convince victims that they are facing a genuine investigation.
