80-year-old Bandra resident loses ₹1.2 crore in fake police case

An 80-year-old from Mumbai lost ₹1.2 crore to cyber fraudsters posing as police, coercing him into transfers under false legal threats.

Mumbai: An 80-year-old retired marine engineer from Bandra West has reportedly lost ₹1.2 crore in a cyber fraud incident. Cybercriminals posing as law enforcement officials allegedly convinced him that his documents had been misused to open a bank account through which ₹2 crore was laundered.

80-year-old Bandra resident loses ₹1.2 crore in fake police case

The incident began on September 30, when the victim, a resident of Mount Mary, received a call from an individual claiming to be a Bengaluru police officer. The caller accused him of involvement in a money laundering scheme and threatened legal action. To appear authentic, the frauds even made a brief video call wearing a police uniform, quickly disconnecting to avoid suspicion.

According to police, the scammers instructed the elderly man to isolate himself in a room, calling it a ‘digital arrest.’ He was then coerced into writing a note promising not to disclose the case to anyone, under the guise that doing so would protect his reputation.

Days later, on October 3, the scam intensified with fake documents, including a fabricated First Information Report, a forged Supreme Court notice, and even a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) letter. The documents falsely implicated the victim and warned that if he failed to comply, he could face property seizure and further legal action. The victim was led to believe his Aadhaar card and passport were under scrutiny, making him unable to leave the area without official permission.

Following these threats, the scammers convinced him to transfer his entire retirement savings— ₹1.2 crore—to a so-called “secure” account. Believing this would protect his assets during the investigation, he made the transfer in a single transaction. The frauds even provided him with a fake receipt to maintain the illusion of authenticity.

The scam came to light on October 5, when a friend shared a video about cyber frauds, prompting the victim to approach the police. The Bandra police have registered the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000, and have launched an investigation.

“We are now tracing the accused,” a police official said, highlighting the ongoing efforts to identify those responsible for this sophisticated cyber fraud.