UK-based woman on vacation in Hyderabad duped of Rs 13.29 lakh

Hyderabad: A UK-based woman who was on vacation was duped of Rs 13.29 lakh in an impersonation fraud with fraudsters posing as officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Delhi police.

The victim, a private employee temporarily staying in Hyderabad, received a phone call from an Indian number claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The caller first accused her of using her SIM card to circulate illegal advertisements and harassing messages to people. They then threatened her to speak with the ‘Delhi cybercrime police’ on a WhatsApp video call.

When she connected to the video call, a person claiming to be from Delhi police alleged that her Aadhaar details were being used to open an HDFC Bank account connected to money laundering and human trafficking operations. She was told that she could be detained immediately unless her identity was verified.

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Another man posing as a CBI officer called her. The victim was asked to display her Aadhaar card and warned not to disclose any details of the call to anyone. The scammer showed her a forged CBI letterhead and threatened her with imprisonment if she spoke about the matter.

Due to fear, the woman was instructed to transfer money for ‘verification purposes’. She was promised a ‘clearance letter’ declaring that she was not linked to any criminal activity. Believing the scamsters, the woman transferred a total of Rs 13,29,999 to accounts provided by the fraudsters.

Once the money was sent, the fraudsters blocked her number.

Following a complaint, the cybercrime wing of the Hyderabad police booked a case and initiated an investigation, currently underway.

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