Pune: An 85-year-old retired Army officer in Pune allegedly lost ₹12 lakh after cyber fraudsters impersonating Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials accused him of money laundering and threatened him with arrest.
The incident reportedly took place between September 1 and 5. Chikhali police registered a case on Wednesday following a complaint from the victim.
According to the complaint, the fraud began when the elderly man received a video call from an unknown number on September 1. The caller allegedly claimed to be an ED officer and accused him of being linked to suspicious financial transactions and harassment calls made using a mobile number registered in his name.
The fraudster allegedly threatened the retired officer with arrest and pressured him into sharing his bank account details. He then instructed the victim to transfer money under the pretext of verifying his financial transactions, promising that the amount would be refunded.
Trusting the caller, the retired officer transferred ₹12 lakh. However, when the money was not returned, he contacted the suspect, who allegedly demanded an additional payment.
Realising that he had been cheated, the victim approached the police. An investigation into the case is underway.
