A Mumbai-based chartered accountant (CA) and a retired bank official were allegedly duped of Rs 34 lakh and Rs 11 lakh, respectively, in two separate cases. However, in both the cases, there is a common factor: fraudsters claiming to be CBI or TRAI officials and threat to arrest the victims over links to money laundering case in which Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal was arrested.
Mumbai cyber police in the past fortnight registered two cases in the said frauds and are further investigating the matter.
According to the cyber police officials, on April 26 they registered an FIR on the complaint of a 38-year-old CA from Vile Parle (East) who received a phone call from a “TRAI official” on March 10 claiming that his mobile number was being used to bombard people’s phone with obscene promotional calls and messages and harassing them.
The supposed TRAI official also told the complainant that a criminal case has also been filed against him at Mumbai’s Chunabhatti police station in this regard.
Later, the CA was made to speak to a sub-inspector Vinay Kumar from Chunabhatti police station over a video call on Skype.
In the said video call, the uniform-clad police officer told him that his Aadhar card details were used in opening a bank account which was used in Naresh Goyal money laundering case and the CBI is probing the matter.
The police officer also sent the FIR copy to the complainant.
After the complainant CA told him that he is innocent, the “officer” made him speak to a CBI officer over a Skype video call. When the complainant contacted “CBI” on the given Skype ID a police uniform clad woman CBI officer received the call and threatened to arrest the complainant and also sent him an arrest warrant of ED in his name, states the FIR.
The complainant was scared and he was further directed by the “CBI officer” to transfer all his money in the bank account in a given bank account by claiming they will be refunded to him in seven days if the inquiry finds him innocent.
To back her claims the woman CBI officer also sent orders of the Supreme Court with effects to the same to the complainant, the police complaint stated.
The chartered accountant broke his fixed deposit and transferred Rs 34.70 lakh in the given bank account.
Later, when the CA searched related information on the internet he realised that he was defrauded, a police officer said.
Similarly, a 59-year-old retired senior ex-banker from Powai area lost Rs 11.40 lakh to “CBI officers” who threatened to arrest him in the money laundering case claiming his Aadhaar card was used in the Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal money laundering case.
The cyber police suspect involvement of the same gang behind the fraud and obtaining details of the bank accounts used in the crime, said a police source.