Bengaluru man loses ₹59 lakh in elaborate fake online courtroom scam: Report

A 59-year-old Bengaluru executive was duped into transferring ₹59 lakh after cybercriminals staged a fake online trial, accusing him of money laundering.

Published on: Sep 19, 2024, 17:30:15 IST

By Yamini C S

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In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 59-year-old Bengaluru man, K J Rao, was scammed out of as much as ₹59 lakh by criminals who staged an elaborate fake online courtroom trial. Rao, who works as the head of litigation at a multinational company, became a victim of the fraud between September 12 and 13, The Times of India reported.

The victim was kept under surveillance via Skype and coerced into making the transfers. (HT File)

The ordeal began when Rao received an automated call while at work, warning him that his phone numbers would be blocked. The call was then transferred to someone claiming to be from the Mumbai crime branch, accusing him of being involved in money laundering, the report noted. Despite Rao knowing he had no connection to the accusations, the scammers intensified their act by making a WhatsApp video call. A man, dressed in a police uniform, appeared to be in a police station, adding to the deception, the publication stated.

When Rao offered to visit a local police station to resolve the issue, he was warned not to move and was told his case was being handled by the CBI. The fraudsters then took it a step further, staging a fake online courtroom session via Skype, the report added. They convinced Rao to transfer ₹59 lakh to multiple accounts, citing an alleged court order and Reserve Bank of India guidelines.

For over 24 hours, the scammers kept Rao under surveillance via Skype, not allowing him to sleep or contact anyone. After making the transfers, Rao realized he had been tricked and rushed to file a complaint at the Indiranagar police station, the publication further added. The police have since blocked his account and are working to trace the stolen funds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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