In a shocking incident, a retired consultant from Bandra West, Mumbai, became the latest victim of a cyber fraud, losing Rs 1.75 crore. This scam highlights how fraudsters are using clever tactics to deceive unsuspecting individuals. The victim, a 60-year-old woman, thought she was dealing with an official matter involving a parcel, only to find herself tricked into handing over a large sum of money.
The scam began on October 14, 2024, when the woman received a call from someone claiming to be Ritu Sharma, an authorised representative of DHL Courier based in Delhi. The caller told her that a parcel in her name had been sent to Bangkok, containing a laptop, 140 grams of MDMA (a drug), five passports, and credit cards. The fraudster also mentioned the involvement of child trafficking, money laundering, and drug smuggling, further adding to the panic.
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Despite denying any involvement in the matter, the woman was told that her KYC (Know Your Customer) details had been misused. To resolve the issue, she was instructed to transfer 90 percent of her funds to an RBI account for verification, as reported by TOI. Trusting the call, the victim began transferring large amounts of money through RTGS to various bank accounts provided by the scammer.
Over several transactions, the woman transferred Rs 1.75 crore, believing she was cooperating with authorities. It was only later that she realised she had been duped, and the money was lost to the fraudsters.
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