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How a Bengaluru woman lost ₹32 crore in six-month long digital scam in Karnataka
In a total of 187 transactions, the Bengaluru woman lost ₹31.83 crores to scammers posing as CBI officers.
A 57-year-old woman from Bengaluru lost nearly ₹32 crores after he became the victim of the largest digital arrest scam in Karnataka. As per a PTI news agency report, officials stated that the scam lasted for over six months, during which the woman was held under constant surveillance through Skype.
In a total of 187 transactions, the woman reportedly lost ₹31.83 crore to scammers posing as CBI officers.
How the scam took place
From September 15, 2024 to March 26, 2025, the Bengaluru woman was held under constant surveillance through video call, causing great mental and physical stress.
The scam began in September 2024, when a call from a person claiming to be from DHL Andheri was made to the woman, PTI reported. The person claimed that the parcel in her name contained credit cards, passports and MDMA was recovered and that her ID was being misused.
This call was then transferred to two officials who claimed to be CBI officers. These officers threatened the woman with the fake parcel and stated there was evidence against her.
The woman was also warned against going to the police and was told criminals were watching and tracking her every move. Fearing for her life, her family's and her son's upcoming wedding, the woman remained silent.
Constant surveillance on Skype
After her silence, the woman was instructed to download Skype and was told to add two ids.
As per PTI, a man identifying himself as Mohit Handa monitored her for two days, followed by Rahul Yadav, who watched her for a week. Another impersonator, Pradeep Singh, posed as a senior CBI officer and pressured her to prove her innocence.
The woman said that Pradeep Singh was in touch with her daily on Skype.
From September 24 to October 22, she shared details of her finances and transferred large sums. Between October and 24 and November 3, the woman has transferred two crores, followed by additional "tax" payments.
During this digital arrest, the woman was also planning her son's engagement party. She had asked the scammers to send her an official letter regarding her clearance before the engagement on December 6.
On December 1, the scammers gave her a "clearance letter" but the woman proceed to fall ill. After this, the woman was also told that her money would be returned by February 25, 2025.
However, each time she asked for the money, she was given a reason for the delay, and then on March 26, 2025, all communications closed.
After her son's wedding in June, the woman reported the crime to the police.
(With agency inputs)
