Mangaluru: A woman from Mangaluru has reportedly fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹3.16 crore to con artists posing as police officials and a public prosecutor.
According to her complaint, the ordeal began on June 5, when she received a call from a person identifying himself as Inspector Anu Sharma from the National Cyber Reporting Portal (NCRP). The caller falsely claimed that a SIM card purchased in her husband’s name was being used for fraudulent activities involving suspicious links and scam calls.
The caller then transferred the line to a supposed Sahar Police Station in Mumbai, where an individual claiming to be Sub-Inspector Mohan Kumar collected her personal information. The call was later routed to someone posing as Public Prosecutor Deepak Venkata Ramana, who convinced the woman that her bank accounts were under investigation.
Under the pretext of verification, she was coerced into sharing the bank account details of both herself and her husband. The scammers warned her against disclosing the matter to anyone, creating a climate of fear.
Between June 10 and June 27, she allegedly transferred a total of ₹3.16 crore in multiple RTGS transactions to various bank accounts provided by the fraudsters, who promised full refunds after verification. Once the money was sent, the fraudsters ceased communication and blocked her contact.
It was only after she confided in her children that she realised she had been deceived. A case has been filed at the CEN Crime Police Station and investigations are underway.