Economic Fraud
This Pharma Trader Transferred Rs 17 Lakh to Avoid Arrest, But It Was All a Scam—Find Out the Shocking Details
AHMEDABAD: A 55-year-old pharmaceutical trader from Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, was swindled out of Rs 17 lakh in a cyber fraud that involved three individuals posing as customs and police officers.
The criminals went as far as threatening to implicate the trader in a false drug smuggling case, leading the victim to lodge a formal complaint with the Cybercrime Police on Tuesday.
The Threatening Call That Started It All
The ordeal began on October 5, when the trader received a phone call from a man identifying himself as Sumit Mishra, who claimed to be a customs officer. Mishra falsely informed the trader that a suspicious parcel, allegedly containing illegal substances and multiple ATM and debit cards, had been sent in the trader’s name to a Malaysian national. Mishra added that a case had been registered against him at the Vasantkunj Police Station in Delhi.
Fraudulent Police Officers and Fake Warrant
The scam took a darker turn when the complainant was connected to another individual, Sunil Kumar, posing as a police officer from the same police station. Kumar heightened the pressure by sharing a forged warrant from a Delhi court, threatening the victim with arrest. He further accused the trader of being involved in a Rs 40 crore money laundering scandal in connection with a private bank manager.
Escalating the Deception: Enter the “Higher Officer”
Kumar then introduced a third fraudster, Ajit Srivastava, who claimed to be a senior police officer. Srivastava, posing as a figure of authority, assured the trader that he could protect him from imminent arrest. However, there was a condition—Srivastava instructed the trader to transfer all his money into a designated bank account for “verification” by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The trader was told the money would be returned once the process was completed.
Rs 17 Lakh Gone in a Series of Transfers
Trusting the scammers, the trader complied and transferred a total of Rs 17 lakh into the provided bank account. Following Srivastava’s instructions, the trader also updated the fraudsters on his status every hour. It was only after he mentioned the situation to his wife, who works at a leading insurance firm in the Satellite area, that the scam was uncovered. Realizing her husband was being defrauded, she urged him to report the incident, prompting the trader to contact the cybercrime helpline.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
The Cybercrime Police have registered a complaint under several sections, including charges of criminal conspiracy, impersonation, cheating, breach of trust, and forgery. The fraudsters have also been charged under the Information Technology (IT) Act for their roles in the cyber scam. Investigations are underway to trace the suspects and recover the defrauded amount.
Experts advise the public to remain vigilant, avoid sharing sensitive information over the phone, and verify any suspicious claims by contacting the authorities directly.
Authorities urge potential victims to report any such cases immediately to the cybercrime helpline to avoid falling prey to these scams.