Elderly Scientist Loses Rs 1.34 Crore to Cyber Fraudsters

A retired scientist from Hyderabad became the victim of a sophisticated cyber scam, losing a whopping Rs 1.34 crore to fraudsters. The 73-year-old was duped into attending a fake Supreme Court hearing, where he was asked to transfer money into bank accounts of the perpetrators. The scam started with an unsolicited phone call from a man claiming to be a policeman from Karnataka, alleging that the scientist's Aadhaar was being used by human traffickers.

Key Takeaways:

• The scientist was contacted by a man posing as a policeman from Karnataka, who claimed that his Aadhaar was being used by human traffickers to send Indians to cyber slavery camps in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
• The scientist was then connected to a fake CBI officer, who directed him and his wife to attend a fake Supreme Court hearing virtually.
• The scamsters promised to return the transferred money once they had verified the details, but the scientist never received the money.
• The police have registered a case of extortion, criminal breach of trust, cheating by impersonation, and forgery under BNS sections.
• The incident highlights the growing menace of cybercrime in India, with older citizens being increasingly vulnerable to scams.
• The scientist's loss of Rs 1.34 crore is a significant financial burden, and the incident serves as a warning for others to be cautious of such scams.

Statistics:

• Rs 1.34 crore: the amount of money lost by the scientist to cyber fraudsters.
• 73: the age of the retired scientist who fell victim to the scam.
• 3 countries: Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, where the scamsters allegedly sent Indians to cyber slavery camps.
• 1 case: the police have registered a case of extortion, criminal breach of trust, cheating by impersonation, and forgery under BNS sections.
• June 6: the day the scientist lodged a complaint with the police.

Sources:

• "Hyderabad: Retired scientist loses Rs 1.34 crore to cyber fraudsters." The Times of India. (No date mentioned).