A well-orchestrated cyber fraud case involving impersonation of a senior Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official has been exposed in Kanpur, where a retired Junior Engineer was allegedly cheated of ₹95 lakh over four years through a fake insurance and refund scam.
Corporate Impersonation and Domain Manipulation
Police have arrested Deepak Singh, a resident of Sultanpur, and his wife Aanchal in connection with the case. The accused allegedly posed as an RBI General Manager to gain the victim’s trust and systematically extract money by promising a multi-crore refund against lapsed insurance policies.
According to officials, Deepak Singh is an intermediate pass and previously worked in an insurance company. His prior experience gave him detailed knowledge of insurance policies and claim procedures, which he allegedly exploited to design a convincing fraud scheme along with his wife.
The victim, retired Junior Engineer Jitendra Kumar Srivastava from the Housing Construction Corporation, retired in 2022. He reportedly held around 28 insurance policies that had lapsed due to non-payment of premiums. While searching online for RBI-related information, he came across a contact number and reached out for assistance.
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Document Extraction and Processing Fee Levies
After initial communication, the victim was asked to send personal documents. Soon after, the fraudsters allegedly introduced themselves as RBI officials and claimed that he was eligible for a refund of ₹2.20 crore against his lapsed policies, subject to payment of processing and verification charges.
Believing the claims, the victim transferred money in multiple installments between 2022 and 2026 into accounts provided by the accused. Over time, the scammers maintained psychological pressure through repeated calls, fabricated procedures, and false assurances, ensuring continuous payments.
Investigators said the accused used the defrauded money to fund a lavish lifestyle. The funds were allegedly used for children’s education expenses, the wife’s studies, luxury purchases, and travel across multiple states. An SUV was also purchased using the proceeds of the fraud, officials added.
Transaction Audits and Tactical Interceptions
The case came to light when the victim’s daughter, who resides in Gorakhpur, visited home and reviewed the financial transactions. Suspecting irregularities, the family approached the cyber cell, which initiated a detailed investigation.
Based on digital tracking, bank transaction analysis, and surveillance inputs, the cyber team traced the accused couple and arrested them near JK Temple. Police recovered mobile phones, a laptop, bank documents, and a vehicle used in the scam.
Investigators further revealed that the accused operated using fake websites, spoofed caller IDs, and forged email domains to impersonate RBI officials. The victim was repeatedly contacted from different numbers and kept under psychological pressure, with instructions not to consult anyone outside the communication loop.
Forged Government Seals and Financial Safeguards
To make the fraud appear legitimate, the accused also sent forged government-style letters and documents bearing RBI seals. Over the course of four years, the victim reportedly invested his retirement savings in the belief that a substantial refund would eventually be released.
Cyber experts have warned that no RBI or banking authority ever demands payments or verification fees over phone calls. Citizens are advised to avoid sharing personal or financial information with unknown callers and to verify any such claims through official channels only.
Authorities have also urged the public to immediately report suspicious calls, emails, or messages to cybercrime helplines or local cyber police stations to prevent financial loss and enable faster action against fraud networks.
Police officials stated that interrogation of the arrested couple is ongoing, and investigations are underway to determine whether the duo is part of a larger cyber fraud syndicate operating across multiple states.
