Hyderabad: How scammers looted senior citizen of Rs 1.38 Cr through fake `digital arrest’

Hyderabad: Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police have busted a digital arrest scammer gang and arrested three people for cheating an 82-year-old retired engineer of Rs 1.38 crore. The arrested individuals were identified as Gokul Marutha Chalamoorthi (24), Jafar Shareef (23), and Shahrukh (30), all residents of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu.

Three mobile phones were seized from the possession of the accused.

Case Details:

In September 2024, the Cyber Crime Police registered under Sections 204, 318(4), 335, 338, 336(3), and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66-D of the IT Act, based on a complaint filed by an 82-year-old retired engineer who fell victim to a sophisticated Digital Arrest Fraud.

Modus Operandi:

The police said that the victim received a call from a fraudster posing as an SBI representative from mobile number +91 99074*****. He was falsely informed of an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) case filed against him. The fraudster then connected him via WhatsApp (+91 99121*****) to an impostor claiming to be a Mumbai Cybercrime officer.

Through psychological manipulation and intimidation, the fraudsters coerced the victim into sharing his Aadhaar details and falsely implicated him in money laundering activities. Under immense pressure, the victim was tricked into transferring Rs 1,38,60,000 across multiple bank accounts operated by the fraudsters.

The police launched a thorough investigation to track the fraudsters, which revealed that the victim's money was transferred to multiple bank accounts linked to the fraudsters, including Rs 9,60,000 credited to Gokul Maruthachala Moorthi's Federal Bank account, which was later withdrawn by Rahul.

Gokul had shared his account details, passbooks, ATM cards, and signed chequebooks with Jafar Sereef and Sharukhan on a commission basis. They, in turn, provided these details to Rahul, who, along with Jafar and Sharukhan, formed a group that deceived victims and siphoned funds from their accounts.

The fraudsters used fake identities and apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, posing as police officers to trick victims into sharing their bank details, the police said.

Advisory to the public:

Beware of unknown calls claiming to be from banks or law enforcement.

Law enforcement agencies never demand money, or personal details over the phone.

Verify with official sources before responding to legal threats.

Report cyber frauds immediately by calling 1930 or on www.cybercrime.gov.in