1 week ago

Retired Tax Officer Loses ₹51 Lakh in Digital Arrest Scam

Retired Tax Officer Loses ₹51 Lakh in Digital Arrest Scam
₹51 lakh gone in a ‘digital arrest’ scam: How fraudsters targeted a retired income tax officer · livemint.com

A retired tax officer received a video call from people pretending to be police officers.

They falsely said that a bank account in his name was involved in money laundering.

They threatened that he could go to prison for at least 10 years.

The callers told him to stay on video calls and not talk to anyone else.

They also sent fake government papers to make the story seem real.

Frightened, the man transferred about ₹51 lakh to an account they gave him.

Police later arrested Mohammed Safwan Abdul Hameed, who allegedly helped the scammers use bank accounts.

Police are still looking for the other people involved.

Key facts

Reported location
Mumbai
Victim
A retired Income Tax officer
Amount lost
Around ₹51 lakh, transferred in instalments
Impersonated authority
Lucknow Police officials, including people claiming to be a police inspector and Director General of Police
Scam method
Video calls, fake government documents, threats of imprisonment and a purported “digital arrest”
Arrested suspect
Mohammed Safwan Abdul Hameed
Police action
Hameed was remanded in police custody; police teams are searching for additional suspects

Sources

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