According to the FIR, the victim received a call on October 27 from a man identifying himself as Mumbai police Inspector Sanjay Pishe, who claimed that a SIM card issued in the complainant's name had been used to abuse the public
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An 83-year-old retired Army colonel became the latest victim of online fraud in Bengaluru, losing Rs 56.05 lakh after scammers impersonating Mumbai police officers threatened him with arrest, reported news agency PTI.
An FIR was registered at the Central CEN crime police station on November 18, officials said.
According to the FIR, the victim received a call on October 27 from a man identifying himself as Mumbai police Inspector Sanjay Pishe, who claimed that a SIM card issued in the complainant's name had been used to abuse the public, reported PTI.
When the elderly man said he was unable to travel to Mumbai for an inquiry, he was connected via video call to a woman identifying herself as senior officer Kavita Pomane, and later to another person named Vishwas, who claimed to be a higher official.
The callers told him the inquiry would be conducted online and allegedly extracted his personal, family and bank details while threatening him with arrest if he disclosed it to anyone, it said, reported PTI.
They also demanded his live location every three hours and instructed him to share his bank details on WhatsApp for "RBI verification", the FIR stated, reported PTI.
Believing them, the complainant shared details of four bank accounts and, on their instructions, transferred Rs 6 lakh and Rs 5 lakh from his bank account to another account as specified by the fraudsters.
Later, he was directed to liquidate his mutual funds and other investments. He then transferred another Rs 35.05 lakh from his bank accounts and Rs 10 lakh more to the same bank account specified by the fraudsters, reported PTI.
When he sought a refund, the impostors claimed that RBI was verifying the funds and would return the money within three days.
Based on the victim's complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and section 318(4) (Cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
In another case, police in Maharashtra's Thane city have registered a case against five persons for allegedly cheating 14 investors of Rs 3.6 crore with the promise of "high" returns, an official said on Friday.
According to the official from Srinagar police station, a shopkeeper from Vikhroli in Mumbai approached them with a complaint against the accused, including the founder of a company.
(With inputs from PTI)
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