A woman from Bhopal became the target of a sophisticated cyber fraud attempt, where the scammers attempted to digitally arrest her over a false money laundering allegation. The scammers contacted the young woman, claiming that her account had been involved in illegal activities, including money laundering and drug trafficking, and that her Aadhaar number had been used to send a parcel, which was reportedly seized at the Delhi airport. The accused threatened to have her arrested and sent to jail. They even conducted a video call, showing her a fake cyber police station, creating an illusion of an ongoing investigation. They pressured her into agreeing to stay under online surveillance, creating more fear. However, when the woman denied any knowledge of such a transaction and insisted that she had no involvement in any such activities, the scammers escalated their tactics, warning her about the severity of the situation. The victim, 28-year-old Priya Saxena, who works in a private company in MP Nagar, immediately contacted her father, a retired police official.

 

Upon receiving the distress call, her father alerted the local police. The scammers, realising the woman had informed the authorities, quickly disconnected the call and fled the scene. Priya’s father, Gopal Saxena, immediately reported the matter to the police. The police arrived promptly and found that the call had originated from a number linked to a fake online investigation. The fraudsters had even attempted to trick the woman into believing that they were legitimate officers by having a man in uniform pose as a police official. To further add to the illusion, they had a cyber crime board of Delhi Police displayed behind him.

 

The scammers had created a fraudulent account in Priya’s name and used it to conduct illegal transactions, including money laundering and drug smuggling. They tried to convince her that the account was active in a branch of HDFC Bank at Connaught Place, Delhi. To convince her further, they showed her fake documents on the video call, manipulating her into believing that she was involved in criminal activities. In their desperate attempt to keep her under their control, they convinced Priya that she would be required to cooperate with an ongoing investigation. When the fraudsters asked her to comply with their “digital custody” request, Priya grew suspicious. Having previously read about similar frauds, she recognised the scam and reported it to the authorities. The police have initiated an investigation and are tracking the IP address of the number used to make the calls. The authorities are determined to apprehend the scammers and bring them to justice. The Bhopal Police is investigating the case thoroughly, ensuring that this type of cyber fraud doesn’t victimise anyone else in the region.