Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Retired Tax Officer Loses ₹51 Lakh in Digital Arrest Scam
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.
A retired Income Tax officer in Mumbai allegedly lost around ₹51 lakh to fraudsters posing as Lucknow police officials.
The scammers claimed a bank account in his name was linked to money laundering and threatened him with at least 10 years in prison.
They used video calls, fake government documents and a purported “digital arrest” to pressure him into transferring his savings.
Police arrested Mohammed Safwan Abdul Hameed, who allegedly supplied bank accounts and received commissions for facilitating transactions.
Police said Hameed’s interrogation revealed other suspects, while teams continue searching for the alleged cyber fraudsters.
- Who
- A retired Income Tax officer was the alleged victim; Mohammed Safwan Abdul Hameed was arrested as a suspected facilitator, while other alleged fraudsters remain unidentified.
- What
- Fraudsters allegedly used fake police identities, a fabricated money-laundering case and a purported “digital arrest” to obtain around ₹51 lakh.
- When
- The case was reported on August 19; the articles do not specify the year of the incident.
- Where
- The victim was in Mumbai, while the fraudsters claimed to represent the Lucknow Police.
- Why
- The fraudsters allegedly sought the victim’s savings and used bank accounts supplied by Hameed to facilitate the transactions.
- 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
