As cyber fraud incidents continue to rise, a local resident of Hamirpur became the latest victim of a scam involving fraudsters posing as cyber police officials. The scammers threatened the resident, Bal Chand Rajput, with arrest, falsely accusing him of using his Aadhaar card in illegal activities. The incident highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber fraud tactics.
Rajput, who resides in Galod in Hamirpur district, received a call on July 23 from someone pretending to be an employee of FedEx Courier Service, according to PTI. The caller claimed that an illegal parcel bound for Taiwan had been intercepted by the Customs Department, and that Rajput’s Aadhaar card had been used to make a payment of Rs 15,250 for the shipment. Rajput promptly filed a complaint regarding the incident on July 26.
Fraudsters Pose as Police Officials
Following the initial call, Rajput received another call via WhatsApp from an individual impersonating the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Crime Branch. This caller alleged that Rajput’s Aadhaar card had been linked to 18 different accounts involved in underworld and ‘hawala’ activities. The caller further warned Rajput that officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would be investigating all his accounts. The scammer threatened that if any evidence of illegal activity was found, Rajput could face imprisonment for seven to nine years.
Rajput Transfers Rs 5.34 Lakh in Fear
In a state of panic, Rajput transferred Rs 5.34 lakh to an account provided by the scammers during the phone call. This large sum was sent in hopes of avoiding arrest and further legal consequences, as per his complaint.
Funds Recovered by Police in Record Time
The Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamirpur, Bhagat Singh, reported that the cyber crime cell took swift action upon receiving Rajput’s complaint. The police managed to freeze the accounts where the money had been deposited, preventing the fraudsters from further transferring the funds. Within three days, the police presented a copy of the complaint on the cyber portal in court, which led to the court issuing an order for the release of the money on August 1.
Thanks to the prompt response by the cyber crime cell, Rajput’s funds were successfully refunded to his account within five days, providing a rare positive outcome in such cases. This incident serves as a reminder for the public to remain vigilant against cyber fraud and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately
