Chandigarh: 73-year-old man falls victim to cyber fraud, loses ₹10 lakh

The victim, Vibhash Chandra Burman, said he received a call on December 1, 2024, from an unknown number claiming his mobile number was involved in unlawful activities

A 73-year-old resident of Sector 49, Chandigarh, was duped of ₹10 lakh by cyber fraudsters who posed as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and law enforcement, threatening him with arrest in a fake money laundering case.

The fraudsters coerced Vibhash Chandra Burman, the victim into transferring his savings to an “SSA account” to prove his innocence after which he transferred ₹10 lakh to their account. (HT Photo)

The victim, Vibhash Chandra Burman, said he received a call on December 1, 2024, from an unknown number claiming his mobile number was involved in unlawful activities. The fraudsters transferred his call to a fake cybercrime police station in Mumbai, where they linked him to a purported money laundering case involving businessman Naresh Goyal and Canara Bank’s Mahim Branch. He was told his arrest had been digitally sanctioned by the Supreme Court. The fraudsters coerced him into transferring his savings to an “SSA account” to prove his innocence after which he transferred ₹10 lakh to their account. After realising he has been duped, he approached the cyber crime police station, where a case was filed on Saturday.