NOIDA: A Sector 26 resident was allegedly duped of more than Rs 41.45 lakh after responding to a social media advertisement that offered substantial financial returns in exchange for old currency notes. The victim had clicked on an attractive promotional post on Facebook, following which fraudsters contacted her through phone calls and WhatsApp messages, assuring her that a large payout would be released once she cleared certain administrative charges. Between October 1 and October 13, 2026, the woman transferred funds across multiple transactions, only to face legal threats from the accused when she demanded her money back. Following a formal complaint, the cybercrime police station has registered a first information report and initiated an investigation into the paper trail and digital communications.
Posing as Tax Authorities to Secure Payments
According to the police complaint, the callers employed several aliases and false identities to convince the resident that the transaction was genuine. Some members of the gang impersonated Goods and Services Tax officials, claiming that the requested payments were mandatory statutory fees necessary to authorize the release of her promised payout. The woman believed the claims, under the impression that an official government verification process was taking place.
Over a span of nearly two weeks, she transferred a total of Rs 41,45,038 to different bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. Each time she completed a transfer, the accused promised that the funds would be disbursed immediately upon receipt, only to create fresh pretexts and demand additional payments. The victim complied with their instructions in the hope of securing the substantial profit she had been promised for her old currency notes.
Threats of Legal Action Follow Refund Demands
The fraud came to light when the woman realised that no payout was forthcoming and asked the callers to return the entire amount she had deposited. Instead of returning the funds, the accused issued threats of legal action against her to dissuade her from pursuing the matter further. Realising that she had been cheated, the victim approached the authorities and lodged a formal complaint on the central cybercrime reporting portal, submitting records of the financial transfers as well as the phone numbers used to reach her.
Investigators noted that such operations routinely rely on deceptive social media promotions targeting people seeking quick returns on rare, old, or collectible currency notes. The perpetrators often claim that notes bearing specific serial numbers command significant market premiums. Once contact is established, they exploit the victim by seeking repeated deposits under the guise of processing fees, verification charges, registration costs, and taxes.
Cyber Police Track Bank Accounts and Call Logs
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Preeti Yadav said that an FIR had been registered in connection with the case. She stated that investigators are examining the digital footprints left by the accused, including call detail records, messaging histories, and the movement of the funds across receiving bank accounts. Teams are working to verify the ownership of the mobile numbers and trace the beneficiaries who received the Rs 41.45 lakh transferred by the complainant.
The cyber wing cautioned the public against engaging with financial offers circulated on social media platforms that promise outsized returns on currency notes. Officials advised citizens to thoroughly verify the credentials of anyone demanding advance payments or claiming to represent government departments, noting that statutory tax demands and official clearances are never conducted through private phone calls or personal bank transfers.
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