A woman was duped of Rs 71 lakh by cyber fraudsters who posed as senior police officers and threatened to arrest her over a fabricated money laundering case in Delhi. Three people, including two women, have been arrested from Bhopal in connection with the fraud, Delhi Police said.The victim was threatened by a person posing as an IPS officer and told to transfer money to avoid arrest and judicial custody.
The accused were arrested in Bhopal after an investigation by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit.Police identified the accused as a 31-year-old woman, Aman Soni, 28, and his 30-year-old sister. They were part of an organised cybercrime network and provided bank accounts used to receive and transfer money obtained through fraud.According to police, the victim received an internet-based video call from a person posing as an IPS officer posted in Mumbai.
The caller claimed that a credit card issued in her name was being used to launder money through transactions worth about Rs 6.5 crore. A senior police officer told PTI that the caller threatened the woman with arrest and judicial custody and said she would have to transfer money for verification to avoid legal action.
Frightened by the threats, she transferred Rs 71 lakh in two bank transactions.An electronic first information report was registered at the Special Cell police station on October 8. During the investigation, the IFSO team traced the movement of the money and identified several bank accounts used to receive and divert it, leading officers to the accused.
Police said about Rs 15 lakh was withdrawn and distributed among the accused and their associates. Part of the money was also used to buy expensive mobile phones.
Three newly purchased phones, bought with proceeds from cyber fraud, were recovered from the accused.Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network, trace the remaining money and establish the wider financial links of the accused, police said.- Ends(With PTI inputs)