A senior executive at Infosys in Bengaluru was entrapped in a scam where impostors, posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Mumbai police, swindled him of Rs 3.7 crore.
The unfortunate sequence began on November 21 when the tech professional received a call from a fraudster masquerading as a TRAI official. The imposter claimed that a case had been lodged against the executive at a Mumbai police station for alleged involvement in illicit activities.
The scammer further alleged that the executive's Aadhar card details were linked to a money laundering case. Over the next 48 hours, the victim, under pressure, transferred Rs 3.7 crore to various bank accounts, believing it would settle legal matters and prevent arrest.
The fraudster contended that a SIM card registered under the executive's name was misused for disseminating illegal advertisements. Despite the executive's denial of owning the number, the scammer persisted, citing its tracing through Aadhar card credentials.
The scam intensified when the call was handed over to someone purporting to be a senior officer in the Mumbai police. The executive was threatened with arrest unless they visited the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) offices in Mumbai and Delhi.
To lend credibility, a counterfeit video call featured individuals in police attire displaying falsified ID cards and a fabricated complaint against the victim.
Believing that the money would be reimbursed after an audit regarding the alleged money laundering, the executive complied and transferred the funds between November 21-23. Only on November 25 did they discover the deceit and promptly lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police.
A case has been registered under the IT Act and two sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Authorities are actively collaborating with bank officials to freeze the scam-related accounts, aiming to apprehend the culprits and ensure justice prevails.
