CA Sansaar
Senior Chartered Accountant Duped of Rs.1.5 Cr in High-Tech Cyber Fraud
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The victim, a senior CA, received a WhatsApp call from people posing as officers of central agencies (Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Customs Department).
He was told his Aadhaar number was linked to money-laundering, and that a fictitious FIR had been lodged against him.
The fraudsters used WhatsApp video calls, showing fake courtrooms and “officials”, allegedly using AI/deep-fake visuals to convince him.
During this manipulation, he was effectively placed under “digital arrest”: told to stay at home, not contact his family, and await further “official” instructions. The period of isolation lasted about 10 days.
Over the span of the scam, he transferred the Rs. 1.5 crore in multiple instalments into various bank accounts, believing he was paying for an official “bail‐out” or “settlement”.
Police sources said the victim’s family remained unaware of the situation until a family member noticed his unusual behaviour and inquired about his cause of distress. Upon learning of the scam, the victim filed a complaint with the cyber police station under the state crime branch in Cuttack on Friday.
“We have launched an investigation, tracking digital footprints and banking transactions to trace the culprits,” a police officer said, expressing concern about the persistent threat of cyber scams, despite regular awareness campaigns and warnings from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), banks and law enforcement agencies.
The Supreme Court of India raised concern on November 3 over the growing wave of “digital arrest” scams which have defrauded elderly victims of thousands of crores.
He was told his Aadhaar number was linked to money-laundering, and that a fictitious FIR had been lodged against him.
The fraudsters used WhatsApp video calls, showing fake courtrooms and “officials”, allegedly using AI/deep-fake visuals to convince him.
During this manipulation, he was effectively placed under “digital arrest”: told to stay at home, not contact his family, and await further “official” instructions. The period of isolation lasted about 10 days.
Over the span of the scam, he transferred the Rs. 1.5 crore in multiple instalments into various bank accounts, believing he was paying for an official “bail‐out” or “settlement”.
Police sources said the victim’s family remained unaware of the situation until a family member noticed his unusual behaviour and inquired about his cause of distress. Upon learning of the scam, the victim filed a complaint with the cyber police station under the state crime branch in Cuttack on Friday.
“We have launched an investigation, tracking digital footprints and banking transactions to trace the culprits,” a police officer said, expressing concern about the persistent threat of cyber scams, despite regular awareness campaigns and warnings from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), banks and law enforcement agencies.
The Supreme Court of India raised concern on November 3 over the growing wave of “digital arrest” scams which have defrauded elderly victims of thousands of crores.
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