With the rise in digital frauds, it seems like there’s a new scam waiting to trap innocent victims every day. This time, a 59-year-old railway official in Mumbai became the latest target, losing Rs 9 lakh after receiving a fake call.
The victim, who works as the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (Construction) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), received a voice-recorded message on his phone on September 16. The message warned him that his number would be blocked within two hours and advised him to dial ‘0’ for any queries. Panicked by the situation, the railway official followed the instructions and dialled ‘0’.
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When he dialled the number, the call turned into a video chat where the caller introduced himself as a CBI officer. The scammer falsely accused the victim of being involved in a money laundering case. He claimed that one of the victim’s mobile numbers was linked to a bank account used in the scam, which left the railway official in shock. Although the victim denied having a second mobile number, the fraudster insisted that his name was tied to a number that was part of a Rs 5.8 million money laundering case involving 247 accounts linked to a certain Naresh Goyal, reports PTI (via TOI).
They called him again at 2 PM that same day, pressuring him for more details. “During this time, the fraudsters obtained all the details about the railway official’s family background, his finance and property details from him. The accused then and the judge will decide the matter,” the police official said.
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The call ended at 9:30 AM the next morning, putting the victim under digital house arrest. During the call, the fake judge instructed the official to deposit Rs 9 lakh into a specified bank account. Believing this was his only way out, the victim followed their instructions, only to realise later that he had been scammed.
This case serves as yet another warning about the dangers of online scams, reminding everyone to stay alert when answering unknown calls and responding to unknown messages.