Retired Income Tax Officer Loses Rs 51 Lakh in ‘Digital Arrest’ Cyber Fraud:

A retired Income Tax officer was allegedly cheated of Rs 51 lakh by cyber fraudsters who pretended to be police officers from Lucknow. They placed him under a fake “digital arrest” and told him that he was involved in a money laundering case.

Mumbai Police arrested a man named Mohammed Safwan Abdul Hameed in connection with the case. Police said he provided bank accounts to cyber fraudsters to receive and transfer money. During questioning, he reportedly revealed the names of other suspects, and police teams are now searching for them.

The retired officer received a video call from a man who claimed to be a senior police officer from Lucknow. The caller told him that a bank account had been opened in his name using his documents and that large amounts of money linked to money laundering had been transferred through it.

The victim said he had never visited Lucknow and did not have any bank account there. However, the fraudster told him that the account had been opened using his documents. Later, two more men contacted him through video calls and claimed to be a police inspector and the Director General of Police.

They told the retired officer that a case had been registered against him and that he could face at least 10 years in prison. They also told him that he had been placed under “house arrest” and had to stay on video calls for questioning.

The fraudsters warned him not to tell anyone about the case or contact other people. They threatened to send police officers to his home and arrest him if he did not follow their instructions.

Fearing arrest, the retired officer followed their instructions. The fraudsters sent him fake government documents and asked for details of his bank accounts. They then told him to transfer his savings and bank deposits to an account they provided until the investigation was over.

Believing them, the victim transferred around Rs 51 lakh in several instalments. However, after receiving the money, the fraudsters stopped contacting him for further questioning.

The victim later realised that he had been cheated and approached the Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police’s North Regional Division. He filed a complaint against the unknown fraudsters.

Using technical evidence, the police identified Mohammed Safwan Abdul Hameed as a suspect and detained him for questioning. Police said he had transferred the stolen money to the main fraudsters and received a fixed commission for helping them move the money through bank accounts.

A court has sent Abdul Hameed to police custody. The investigation is still underway, and police are searching for the other people involved in the fraud.