New Delhi/Noida: In the first case of digital arrest in Noida, a mother-daughter duo was duped by cyber crooks of Rs 36.6 lakh after being held digitally for four days with the threat to implicate them in money laundering and human trafficking cases. The duo complained to the Cyber Crime Police Station which froze Rs two lakh of the defrauded amount and is looking for the account to which the amount was deposited.
In their complaint, Sector-77 resident Taruna Gaba said she recently did an MBA and applied for jobs at many places. Her father died about two decades ago. She and her mother, Shashi Gaba, hold a joint account in a private bank. On November 27, Taruna received a call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as an officer of TRAI informing that the Aadhar cards of Taruna and her mother have been misused to issue a SIM card that was used in human organ trafficking. Apart from this, their bank accounts and Aadhar cards have been used in money laundering cases.
After this, Taruna and her mother were connected through Skype where they were asked to come to Mumbai for interrogation with an alternative of online cooperation. After this, the alleged TRAI officer transferred the call to 'Mumbai Police' who sent an arrest warrant to the complainant's mobile. Apart from this, they expressed the fear of an encounter between the mother and daughter. To avoid all this, both were asked to transfer the money from their joint accounts to another account. The fraudsters assured that after investigation, all money would be refunded to the original account.
To avoid jail, Taruna transferred Rs 36.6 lakh in two instalments to the account mentioned by the fraudsters. The victim could not come out of fear even after the end of the ordeal, which happened from November 27 to 30, and was even scared of approaching the police. However, while narrating the ordeal to an acquaintance later, they knew about the fraud and complained online.
Shashi Gaba said the fraudsters collected complete information about their house like when it was built and the owner's details. After transferring the amount, they were asked to liquidate the fixed deposit and mortgage the house to arrange for the money. Both of them prayed to the fraudsters with folded hands but they kept pressuring them to mortgage the house and transfer the money. When the women did not break FD despite being told several times, the fraudsters broke off contact with the mother-daughter duo after digitally arresting them for four days. During this time, the fraudsters did not allow them to leave the house.
Taruna said her 43-year-old brother died of corona in 2021. After this, the entire responsibility of the house fell on her. Her mother got the household expenses from the interest accrued from the bank deposit. After losing her lifetime earnings, the octogenarian is clueless about managing the household expenses.
Taruna said she is originally from Delhi. About ten years ago, her mother shifted to Noida. "It feels like the paths of life have closed in one go. The amount of Rs two lakh has been frozen. Efforts are being made to freeze the remaining amount," she said.
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