A senior staff member of a multinational engineering company with headquarters in Pune was tricked by scammers posing as representatives of the courts and law enforcement. The scammers convinced the victim that he was connected to a matter of national security over the course of a week. As a result, many transactions were carried out ostensibly in compliance with Supreme Court directives.
A Telephone Trap Unfolds
The initial indication that something was phishy was when someone called and claimed to be from a phone company.
The project planning head was informed that a mobile number registered in his name was connected to illicit activities. After that an individual posing as a police officer from the Govandi police station contacted and reported a serious breach of national security. They tricked the victim into believing that illicit money was transferred from his bank account and that he would be imprisoned.
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From Threats to Transactions: A High-Stakes Deception
The scammers tricked the victim into feeling he had to move all of his savings to accounts they said were run by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after making threats against him. They presented him with a fictitious Supreme Court letter explaining that it was done to stay out of legal hot water. He made 10 payments totaling Rs 82.3 lakh, ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 12 lakh each, after believing the threats.
A concerning pattern of cyber exploitation
This fraud have resemblance to the “drugs in parcel” scam in which individuals are duped into paying money to get out of false accusations of drug trafficking. Pune police have observed how the victims are tricked by psychological techniques in both scams. It demonstrates how people’s vulnerabilities and worries are exploited by internet scammers. Authorities are warning everyone to exercise caution online and abide by safety guidelines in order to prevent falling victim to scams while they continue their investigations.
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