Mysuru: A retired woman government officer in Karnataka’s Mysuru has allegedly lost more than Rs 1.5 crore to cybercriminals who posed as Enforcement Directorate (ED) and police officials, threatening her with arrest in a fabricated money laundering case.
According to a report by The420.in, the fraudsters contacted the woman through WhatsApp and accused her of involvement in suspicious financial transactions. They claimed that her bank account had been used for illegal activities and that an arrest warrant had been issued against her.
To make the allegations appear credible, the accused arranged a video call during which an individual wearing a police uniform questioned the victim. The impersonator reportedly displayed a debit card carrying her name and alleged that she had received commissions from transactions worth over Rs 20 crore.
The callers then instructed the woman to move her savings into a designated bank account, presenting the transfer as a mandatory financial verification procedure. They assured her that the money would be returned once the investigation was completed.
Over approximately one month, the retired officer transferred more than Rs 1.5 crore in several instalments.
When the promised refund failed to arrive, she approached the Mysuru Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) Police and filed a complaint.
Police subsequently registered an FIR. Details regarding the suspects’ identities, possible arrests and recovery of the money have not been disclosed.
Cyber police have cautioned citizens that legitimate investigating agencies do not conduct arrests through video calls or demand bank transfers for financial verification.
People receiving such threats are advised to report suspicious communications immediately rather than comply with financial demands.
