Hyderabad: Three elderly men have lost their life's savings in cyber fraud where a total of Rs 15.78 crore was withdrawn from their accounts. Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (CSB) has registered cases in this connection and initiated an investigation based on the complaints lodged by the victims.
A 63-year-old businessman from Kukatpally Vasantnagar was duped of Rs 5.93 crore through fake share trading. He received a WhatsApp message on January 23 asking him to join Goldman Sachs Business School, promising to impart various share trading skills. Later, a woman, who identified herself as Sita, assistant of the company's MD called him. She added him to a WhatsApp group and asked him to download an app called 'GSIN'. From January 30 onwards, he invested Rs 5.98 crore in several installments. The app showed the value of the shares where he invested was Rs 21 crore.
When the man told Sita that he wanted to withdraw some amount from his profits, she asked him to pay Rs 2.88 crore as 20 percent of the profit. The man tried to discuss the matter with other members of the WhatsApp group but no one responded to him and then Sita too was not available. Finally, he complained to the police on the July 6.
The next victim, 75-year-old retired CEO of TG Transco, a resident of Nacharam was duped of Rs 4.82 crore. On June 13, he received a call from a person, who claimed to be from the Mumbai Telecom Department. The caller said many people have complained of receiving harassing calls from a number that was registered in his name. When the victim informed that he does not possess any such number, the caller transferred the call suggesting him to file a complaint with the Mumbai police.
Now, another person, who introduced himself as Chembur SI in Mumbai, suggested filing a complaint through Skype. When the victim said he does not have a Skype account, a third person approached him through WhatsApp video call, identifying himself as IPS officer Akash Kulahari.
The fake IPS officer said that a money laundering case had been registered against the victim as per the Supreme Court order. He told him that if he did as suggested, the case would be closed immediately.
Following which, he paid Rs 4.82 crore from his savings account by premature withdrawal of mutual funds, FDs and LIC bonds, through RTGS. The victim recently complained to the CSB after he realised that he had been cheated.
The third victim, a 80-year-old man, who lives near the BHEL township of Ramachandrapuram, was duped of 4.98 crores by a person claiming to be a CBI officer. In a similar modus operandi, a person named Naresh Goyal called the victim and said that a money laundering case has been registered against him. The cyber thug told him that he was accused of a serious crime related to national security and threatened him of imprisonment.
The accused told him that he would complete the investigation after a WhatsApp call. He asked him not to share the matter with anyone in the house till the investigation was completed and to talk in a separate room. During the WhatsApp video call, then accused showed many documents related to the case to the victim, leading him to panic. He asked the man to send his money through RTGS to the accounts indicated by them for Supreme Court review. He said that if it is found that there is no connection with money laundering, then the case will be closed and his money would be returned.
Believing it to be true, the victim transferred Rs 4,98,75,000 to different accounts in several installments from May 20 to June 20. Although a month and a half had passed, the money was not returned, after which, the victim informed his son-in-law. Thereafter, a complaint was registered with the CSB four days ago.
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