A woman in the city narrowly escaped falling victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud after scammers impersonated officials from the Bengaluru City Police and used forged documents to make their claims appear genuine.
The incident highlights the growing sophistication of cyber scams across India, where criminals increasingly pose as officials from investigative agencies or law enforcement bodies to intimidate unsuspecting citizens.
Fraudsters pose as police officers
According to reports, the woman received a call from an unknown number, with the caller introducing himself as a police officer. He attempted to frighten her by claiming that her mother was allegedly involved in illegal activities and that a serious criminal case had been registered against her.
The caller then asked the woman to join a video call and insisted she share her home location as part of what he described as an “investigation”.
Fake documents sent to appear genuine
To strengthen their claims, the fraudsters sent multiple documents through WhatsApp. These included a supposed court order and an official-looking document bearing the forged seal and signature of Seemant Kumar Singh, the city’s Police Commissioner.
The documents also falsely mentioned that the Crime Investigation Department Karnataka had arrested several individuals in connection with the case.
The scammers even referenced a person named “Naina Prakash” in the documents to make the story appear credible.
Victim acts quickly
However, the woman noticed spelling errors and poorly designed logos in the documents, which raised suspicion. Realising that the call was likely a scam, she immediately disconnected the video call.
She later contacted the official helpline of the Bengaluru City Police and reported the incident. A formal complaint was also submitted through the government’s cybercrime portal, Cybercrime Portal.
Police issue public warning
Authorities have warned citizens that police officers will never conduct arrests over video calls or demand money as part of investigations.
Officials have urged people to remain cautious, avoid sharing personal information or location details with unknown callers, and immediately report suspicious calls or messages.
Police also cautioned that scammers increasingly use forged official seals and signatures to create a sense of urgency and fear, making public awareness the most effective defence against such digital crimes.