Scam
Imagine getting a call from the police and another from a high-ranking official, each with accusations of your involvement in criminal activities. It sounds terrifying, right? This is exactly what a woman faced recently, only to later discover she had fallen prey to an elaborate scam that cost her a whopping Rs 50 lakh.
The incident began on October 11, when the woman received a call from a man identifying himself as Vinay Kumar, a sub-inspector from Maharashtra’s Agripath police station. Claiming that a case, numbered MH1045/1024, was registered against her for allegedly using her mobile number in illegal advertisements, he requested her immediate presence at the police station. When she hesitated, the caller warned that higher authorities would soon get involved.
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Not long after, another call came in, this time from a person claiming to be Akash Kulhari, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reports TOI. Akash heightened her fears by stating that an ATM card linked to her bank account had been found during a raid at businessman Naresh Goyal’s property. He alleged that Rs 2 crore had been deposited into her Canara Bank account in Mumbai, implicating her in a major money-laundering scheme involving 20 individuals. Akash threatened that she would face arrest unless she provided relevant documents to the Supreme Court.
Offering her an alternative to visiting the police station, the scammers proposed an ‘online investigation’ process. Fearing the consequences, she shared details of her bank accounts and fixed deposits. Akash then instructed her to transfer Rs 50 lakh to an RBI account, directing her to send the amount to a specific account under the name Shivani Enterprises in Bandhan Bank’s Varachha branch on October 19. Trusting his assurances, she transferred the amount and shared the receipt over WhatsApp, with a promise of a refund within three days.
However, when she reached out on October 23 to have her money refunded to her MCC Bank account, Akash refused, claiming the funds could only be sent to the original account. Then when he asked her to transfer any remaining funds, the woman finally realised she had been scammed and reported the incident to the police.
The case serves as an important reminder to remain vigilant against fraud and always verify any request that involves personal information or financial transactions.