Mumbai: In a disturbing twist to the ongoing ‘digital arrest’ frauds, a 58-year-old woman from Mumbai’s western suburbs was cheated of ₹60 lakh by scammers who not only threatened her online but also sent accomplices to collect cash in person.
According to police, the fraud began when the woman received a video call from a man posing as a Delhi Police officer. He claimed that a bank account linked to her Aadhaar was involved in a ₹1.5 crore money laundering case and warned her of imminent arrest.
When she questioned the claim, the call was transferred to another impersonator posing as a Mumbai police official, who told her she was under a “digital inquiry”.
The fraudsters exploited her vulnerable situation, as she was already under financial strain following her husband’s death last year and ongoing loan repayments. They convinced her that clearing debts would help prove her innocence and even accessed her property-related documents to pressure her further.
Unable to sell her property, the woman arranged ₹35 lakh by selling her gold. In an unusual move, the scammers sent a man near her residence to collect the cash. Days later, she handed over another ₹25 lakh to a different individual in a similar manner.
Despite receiving ₹60 lakh, the accused continued to demand more money, promising to “clear her loans”. The woman eventually grew suspicious when the callers stopped responding and approached the police.
An FIR has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
