In a shocking case of cyber fraud, Arun Kumar, a 53-year-old resident of Udupi, lost Rs 1,33,81,000 to a phone scam. The incident began on July 29, when Kumar received a call from an unknown number (+91 9232037584), with the caller posing as a customs department official. The caller claimed that a FedEx parcel had been booked using Kumar’s Aadhaar number, containing illegal items such as passports, ATM cards, MDMA, and USD 5,000, which was currently held by Mumbai customs.
When Kumar denied any involvement, the caller connected him to a supposed “senior officer” who posed as a police officer. This fake officer convinced Kumar that his Aadhaar card had been misused in criminal activities, including funding terrorists. They further threatened that he would be placed under virtual arrest and monitored via Skype from July 29 to August 9, 2024.
Manipulating his fear, the scammers coerced Kumar into transferring funds to various bank accounts to “resolve” the issue. Between August 6 and August 9, Kumar transferred a staggering Rs 1,33,81,000 from his HDFC Bank account.
A case has been registered at the Udupi cyber police station, and investigations are underway.
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