Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 22: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 72-year-old woman from Mulund lost Rs 32.8 lakh after being duped by scammers posing as police officials, police said on Friday.

According to the complainant, her husband received a call from a man claiming to be an officer of the “Colaba Crime Branch,” alleging that transactions worth Rs 2.5 crore linked to money laundering had occurred through their bank account, and Rs 25 lakh had been deposited as commission. The caller warned the couple not to disclose the matter or face arrest.

The following day, another fraudster, posing as a police officer via video call, instructed the woman to transfer Rs 32.8 lakh from their Rs 37 lakh savings and some gold jewellery to a designated bank account for the “investigation.” Fearing arrest, she complied and shared the payment slip on WhatsApp.

The fraud was uncovered when she narrated the incident to her son-in-law, who advised her to file a complaint. The woman subsequently approached the East Region Cyber Cell. A cyber police official confirmed that further investigation is ongoing.