Mumbai: A 79-year-old retired Indian Navy officer from Santacruz West fell prey to an online scam, losing Rs 1.6 lakh from his pension savings while attempting to book a helicopter tour for himself and his wife. His wife, a medical practitioner, had planned a pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath, leading him to look for travel options online.

Details Of The Fraud

Between March 20 and 26, the elderly man came across an Instagram advertisement by a person named Vikram Singh, who was operating under the fraudulent name ‘Pawan Hans Official Limited.’ Believing it to be a legitimate offer, he reached out for further details. In his police complaint, he stated that Singh initially quoted Rs 64,000 for the tour.

Convinced by the offer, the ex-Navy officer transferred the amount. However, the scammer soon demanded an additional Rs 95,992, claiming it was for travel insurance. Trusting the process, the victim made the second transaction, reported Times of India.
His doubts arose when his repeated inquiries about the tour were met with vague and evasive responses. Realising he had been duped, he approached the Santacruz police, who registered a case against an unknown individual on Friday. Police officials are now tracking the fraudster by tracing the internet protocol (IP) address associated with the scam.
 

Andheri Woman Falls Victim To ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam

In a separate cybercrime case, a 49-year-old woman from Andheri was duped of Rs 33.5 lakh after being tricked by scammers impersonating police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers. The fraudsters falsely accused her of being involved in a money laundering case and presented her with an alarming choice: either spend three months in police custody or opt for ‘digital custody’ for seven days while the investigation took place.

To make the con appear legitimate, the scammers instructed the woman to submit an online application requesting ‘digital custody.’ This application was subsequently ‘approved’ by the imposters posing as officials. Under the guise of legal proceedings, they convinced her to transfer her life savings into what they called a ‘Secret Supervision Account’, allegedly overseen by the CBI.

The scam unfolded between December 2 and December 31 last year. However, the victim only realized the deception when she attempted to retrieve her funds and found them inaccessible. On February 25, she filed a complaint, bringing the elaborate fraud to light. Cops are now investigating the matter and attempting to trace the culprits behind the sophisticated cybercrime.