Cyber Crime
Cybercriminals Scam Bengaluru Executive of Rs 59 Lakh Through Fake Online Trial
BENGALURU: The term ‘courtroom drama’ is often associated with fictional scenarios depicted in movies or TV shows. However, a real-life case of cyber fraud in Bengaluru has taken this concept to a shocking level of realism. In a rare and elaborate scam, cybercriminals accused a 59-year-old executive of money laundering, staged a fake online courtroom, conducted a phony trial, denied him bail, issued a fraudulent court order, and ultimately swindled him out of Rs 59 lakh.
Police promptly assisted the victim by blocking his bank account and registering a complaint with the cybercrime helpline number 1930. A senior officer stated that the stolen funds had been transferred to various bank accounts and UPI IDs, and efforts are underway to freeze the stolen money.
MODUS OPERANDI
KJ Rao, a resident of CV Raman Nagar and head of litigation at a multinational corporation (MNC), reported that the incident occurred between 11 a.m. on September 12 and 2:30 p.m. on September 13. Interestingly, the scammers communicated exclusively in English, unlike typical cyber fraud cases where Hindi is more commonly used.
The scam began when Rao received an automated call at work on September 11 from an unknown number, claiming that all of his mobile numbers would be blocked. He was then transferred to a man who identified himself as a member of the crime branch in Colaba, Mumbai, and accused Rao of being involved in money laundering. The scammer claimed that an account linked to his Aadhaar card had been opened in Canara Bank, even though Rao had no association with the bank.
When Rao tried to end the call, he received a WhatsApp video call from someone in a police uniform, seated in what appeared to be a police station. Believing his Aadhaar details had been misused, Rao offered to surrender at the Indiranagar police station, but he was warned not to go, as the local authorities would allegedly be unaware of his case.
The call was then routed to someone posing as a CBI officer, who claimed Rao was under ‘digital arrest.’ Following their instructions, Rao returned home, locked himself in a room, and was kept under surveillance via Skype. The scammers staged a fake court session via video conference, complete with a ‘judge’ and ‘prosecutors’ explaining the fabricated charges against him.
Rao was told he needed to transfer Rs 59 lakh to several accounts in accordance with a ‘court order’ and Reserve Bank of India guidelines. The scammers monitored him throughout the night, leaving him no opportunity to seek help. Living alone in Bengaluru, with his family in Mumbai, Rao transferred Rs 50 lakh and Rs 9 lakh to two separate accounts on the following day.
After the scammers disconnected the Skype call, Rao realized he had been duped and immediately reported the crime to the Indiranagar police station.