Elderly Man Falls Victim to Elaborate Digital Scam

An 85-year-old former college department head lost Rs 9 crore to fraudsters after being misled into believing he was under 'digital arrest' for alleged money laundering and terror finance. The scam involved a fake call from an impersonated police inspector and subsequent fake legal procedures.

An 85-year-old resident of the city has fallen prey to a sophisticated fraud, losing Rs 9 crore in the process. The victim, who once led a department at an engineering college, was tricked by scammers who claimed he was 'digitally arrested' on charges of money laundering and terrorism financing, police disclosed on Wednesday.

The deception began on November 28 when the elderly man received a call from someone posing as an inspector from Nashik's Panchvati Police Station. The caller informed him that his Aadhaar-linked bank account was allegedly used for illicit activities, including financial transactions with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). The scam escalated when, days later, a follow-up WhatsApp video call from another fraudster in police attire falsely claimed an arrest warrant had been issued.

Terrified of the alleged legal trouble, the victim complied with the scammer's demands by transferring all his savings and investments to various accounts under the pretext that his funds would be returned with interest post-verification. After weeks of communication, the victim realized the deceit when he ceased receiving calls and then reported the incident to the cyber police helpline as an investigation unfolds.

(With inputs from agencies.)