Noida man loses ₹1.7crore to cyber frauds

For clearance of a case lodged in the matter, he was referred to a man impersonating a police officer who blamed him of being involved in money laundering

Noida: An 84-year-old retired man in Noida lost ₹1.70 crore to cyber criminals after being put under digital arrest from September 9 to 15, police said on Wednesday, adding that he realised the fraud after coming across similar news.

On September 15, when the suspects demanded an additional ₹20 lakh,the victim man came across a similar news report about digital arrest and shared his ordeal with his son and realised it was a fraud. (Representational image)

Police said the victim, a retired deputy director from the union ministry of commerce, in his complaint alleged that he got trapped via an unidentified call on September 9, alleging that a phone number registered in his name was linked to illegal activity. He denied the allegation.

For clearance of a case lodged in the matter, he was referred to a man impersonating a police officer who blamed him of being involved in money laundering, and said that he was required to face a CBI team, stated the FIR lodged at cybercrime branch police station.

He was further threatened over a video call by showing his Aadhaar card and was directed to visit Mumbai to join a probe. Due to his elderly age, the frauds let him face the investigation online and placed him under digital arrest.

“In two transactions, the victim transferred ₹1.30 crore and ₹40 lakh to the fraudsters as part of the questioning. On September 15, when the suspects demanded an additional ₹20 lakh, he came across a similar news report about digital arrest and shared his ordeal with his son,” said station house officer (cybercrime branch police station) Vinod Kumar.

“A case under sections of extortion, cheating, and cheating by personation of the BNS and IT Act was registered against unidentified suspects, and further investigation is underway,” the SHO added.