New Delhi: Cyber fraudsters duped a 75-year-old retired Army captain of about ₹65 lakh over 38 days in Dwarka by posing as a former tenant, sending fake international bank credits and invoking the threat of a “digital arrest”. The victim broke fixed deposits and even borrowed from neighbours before realising he had been trapped. The case has now been transferred to the Special Cell’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit.
The victim, Nandan Singh, lives in Dwarka with his wife. He told police he received a call from an international number a few weeks ago. The caller introduced himself as “Kuldeep”, a man who had stayed as a tenant in their house about a year earlier. Using that familiarity, the caller said he was returning to India from abroad and wanted to transfer money to Singh’s account. Trusting the identity, Singh shared his wife’s bank details.
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Soon after, the caller claimed he had sent the funds and asked Singh to pay ₹4 lakh to a visa agent. Since the victim did not use online banking, he was instructed to transfer the money through a nearby shop. The next day, a new story followed — an airport altercation had allegedly led to a heavy penalty. Over the following days, different pretexts were used to demand money.
To build credibility, the fraudsters sent fake HSBC bank slips on WhatsApp showing transfers of ₹14.25 lakh and ₹18.45 lakh. A person posing as a bank manager then called, demanding tax and clearance charges for the supposed international remittance. Continuous calls and pressure ensured the victim remained convinced. He broke his fixed deposits to make payments and, when funds ran short, borrowed from neighbours to continue transferring money.
Police said the fraud continued for around 38 days. When Singh finally refused further payments, another caller contacted him, posing as an officer from Mumbai Cyber Crime. The caller threatened a “digital arrest” and demanded ₹4.70 lakh to close the case. Frightened, Singh called his daughter, who immediately told him to stop all payments and dialled the cyber helpline 1930. A complaint was then lodged at Dwarka Cyber Police Station.
Investigators found that the entire amount had been routed through a local shop into multiple bank accounts. The use of several beneficiary accounts and an international calling number has led police to suspect the involvement of a cross-border cyber fraud network. Authorities are examining KYC details of the recipient accounts, transaction trails, call detail records and the role of the shop operator. Steps have been initiated to freeze the accounts that received the funds.
Cyber experts described the case as a classic hybrid social engineering scam combining a known-person impersonation, fake bank credit alerts, tax demands and law enforcement threats. Elderly individuals are often targeted due to limited digital familiarity and a higher likelihood of complying with authority-based pressure.
Police have urged citizens to remain alert against claims of overseas remittances requiring tax or customs payments, bank slips shared on messaging apps and video calls from impersonators posing as police officers threatening “digital arrest”. In case of any suspicious transaction or call, people should immediately contact the national cyber helpline 1930 or report the matter to the nearest cyber police station.
Investigating agencies said the funds were layered across multiple accounts, making the trail complex. However, efforts are underway to identify the mule account holders, analyse digital evidence and trace the larger network behind the fraud.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
