In a shocking incident, an Infosys techie in Bengaluru fell prey to a sophisticated cybercrime, losing a staggering Rs 3.7 crore to scammers who posed as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Mumbai police. The victim, a senior executive at the IT giant, was tricked into transferring the money over a period of three days in November.
According to a TOI report, the scam began on November 21 when the victim received a call from an unidentified person mentioning a criminal case at the Vakola police station in Mumbai, coupled with an accusation of money laundering linked to victim’s Aadhaar card information. In the next 48 hours, the victim was coerced into transferring a significant amount from their personal account to multiple bank accounts specified by the perpetrators.
The techie said that he got a call from an unidentified person claiming to be a TRAI official. The caller informed the victim that a SIM card registered in his name was being used for illegal activities and that a money laundering case had been filed against his Aadhaar card details.
Panicked by the threat of legal action, the victim was instructed to follow the caller’s instructions to clear his name. The caller, who had gained the victim’s trust, transferred the call to someone claiming to be from senior Mumbai police officer who asked him to visit Delhi and Mumbai for further investigations.
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Cybercriminals went to great lengths to deceive their victim, staging a video call from a counterfeit police station where individuals clad in khaki uniforms showcased fake ID cards and presented a fabricated complaint. Under the guise of resolving purported cases and avoiding arrest, the victim was pressured into transferring funds to multiple bank accounts between November 21 and 23.
Upon realising the deception, the victim promptly lodged a police complaint on November 25. The Cyber Crime Police initiated legal proceedings under the Information Technology Act and IPC sections 419 and 420. The case was transferred to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) given the big amount involved.
This incident highlights the growing sophistication of cybercrime and the vulnerability of even tech-savvy individuals to such scams. It is crucial for everyone to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls or messages, especially those involving financial matters.
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