Thane Man Loses Rs 10.08 Lakh in Online Fraud Scam

A man from Thane district was defrauded of Rs 10.08 lakh through an online scam, with threats of a 'money laundering' case. The scammers posed as customs officers to extort money. An FIR was registered under relevant legal sections to address the crime.

A 33-year-old man from Thane district fell victim to an online scam and lost Rs 10.08 lakh, as revealed by police officials on Sunday. The victim was threatened with a fictitious 'money laundering' case by conmen posing as customs officers.

The scam began in November when the victim received a call on his WhatsApp from a man pretending to be Donald, soon followed by another call from an individual falsely claiming to be a Customs officer at the Delhi airport.

The fraudulent customs officer warned the victim that Donald lacked proper documents to enter India, consequently intimidating him into transferring Rs 10.08 lakh to various bank accounts. Despite continuous demands for money, the victim filed a complaint on November 29 at the Central Police Station in Ulhasnagar, prompting police to register a case under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)