Cyber Scam: Ramakrishna Mission Secretary Duped of Rs 2.5 Crores in WhatsApp Fraud

A prominent member of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Gwalior district has been ensnared by cybercriminals, resulting in a loss of Rs 2.5 crores. Posing as Nashik police, the fraudsters conducted the scam through WhatsApp over 20 days, leading to multiple transactions to different accounts.

A senior official from the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior fell prey to a sophisticated cyber scam, resulting in a loss of Rs 2.5 crores, confirmed a police official. The cybercriminals, impersonating Nashik police, contacted the victim on March 17 via WhatsApp and maintained communication for nearly three weeks.

The fraudsters convinced the secretary that his name was linked to a money laundering account and demanded his Aadhaar card and bank details for supposed verification purposes. They further deceived him into believing that a summons had been issued and he was due for arrest unless he cooperated.

The scammers coerced the ashram secretary into transferring around Rs 2.5 crores to various accounts under the pretext of bail money, promising a refund. A police investigation is underway following the registration of a case under multiple sections, with efforts on to apprehend the culprits.

(With inputs from agencies.)