Noida woman duped of ₹14L in digital arrest

She was told on call that there were 17 complaints against the mobile number, including an FIR related to illegal advertisement and harassment, registered in her name

Noida: A 33-year-old woman in Noida was duped of ₹14 lakh after being allegedly put under digital arrest following a call from an international number, with the caller impersonating a telecom regulatory representative, police said on Tuesday, adding that a case was registered on Monday at the cybercrime branch police station.

Following her questioning by a man posing as a police officer from Mumbai, the woman was compelled to visit the bank despite her ligament injury and transfer ₹14 lakh. (Representational image)

In her police complaint, the victim, name withheld, a private firm employee who resides in Sector 50, said she received the call on January 3 and filed the complaint on a cyber portal later that day. “I was told on call that there were 17 complaints against the mobile number, including an FIR related to illegal advertisement and harassment, registered in my name,” reads the first information report (FIR).

She was threatened that her current number would be blocked, and she would not be able to use any cellular network in India, officers said.

“I was told I had two hours to submit a police clarification letter or face dire consequences. He offered to help me connect with the police directly for faster action,” the FIR said.

Police said later the fraudsters transferred her call to another person posing as a Mumbai police officer on the pretext of investigation.

“I was crying, trembling, pleading. I told them …have never been to Mumbai… They kept bullying me mentally cornering me, humiliating me, and emotionally,” she alleged in the FIR.

Following her questioning, she was compelled to visit the bank despite her ligament injury and transfer ₹14 lakh. Later, her mother counselled her and she realised being duped, officers said.

“The case was then reported to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), and following investigation, a case under relevant sections of cheating of the BNS and the IT Act was registered on Monday,” said cybercrime branch station house officer Ranjeet Kumar Singh.