Tragic Case of Bengaluru Woman Scammed Out of ₹318 Million in Cyber Fraud

In a distressing tale unfolding from Dubai, a 57-year-old woman from Bengaluru was swindled out of a staggering ₹318 million over six excruciating months. This high-profile case stands as a grim reminder of the increasing sophistication of cyber frauds. According to Gulf News, this is one of the more elaborate internet crimes recorded in recent times, involving psychological manipulation and technological prowess.

A Call That Changed Everything

The nightmare began on September 15, 2024, with a phone call that would lead to her financial ruin. Alleged criminals masquerading as DHL officials informed her that a parcel under her name contained contraband items and forged documents. The suggestion was clear: her identity had been compromised.

A Web of Deception

The fraudulent scheme did not stop there. The call was handed over to impostors claiming to be high-ranking officers from the CBI and the Cybercrime Department. They played on her fears, fabricating threats of arrest and surveillance, essentially trapping her in a cage of deceit without physical bars.

The Imprisonment in Virtual Reality

To compound this web of lies, these cybercriminals demanded she install Skype IDs. There, an imposter claiming to be Mohit Handa furthered the illusion of a ‘digital arrest’ by prankishly monitoring her through her phone camera. As per their narrative, her every move was being watched by those wishing her harm if she dared to seek help.

Fabricating Fear: The Art of Cyber Manipulation

The use of thoroughly realistic, albeit fake, documents to threaten and intimidate her further was one of the many vile manipulations these fraudsters inflicted. Another faux officer, Pradeep Singh, was particularly vicious, using verbal abuse to coerce the victim into paying what were supposedly taxes and sureties.

The Unravelling

Between late September and late October 2024, she was misled into sharing personal financial details, allegedly for verification purposes. Under continuous faux oversight, she made a staggering 187 transactions, trusting the criminals’ assurance that all funds would be returned by February 2025.

Seeking Truth: A Long Road Ahead

Desperate and isolated, the woman refrained from reaching out until March 26, 2025, when communications with the fraudsters ceased altogether. The true extent of the financial hemorrhage became evident only after she broke her silence in June, after her son’s wedding. Her story is both a cautionary tale and a call to arms against cybercrime.

The authorities urge vigilance against such scams and affirm their commitment to pursuing justice for the victim. Indeed, this tale underscores the old adage: forewarned is forearmed.