Three Hyderabad victims, including a company accountant, a 72-year-old woman and a doctor, lost ₹5.35 crore in scams exploiting workplace messaging, official impersonation and fake investment platforms.
Three cyber fraud cases in Hyderabad have left victims poorer by a combined ₹5.35 crore, underscoring how quickly scammers are refining their methods and how easily even cautious people can be caught out. Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar used the cases to renew warnings about so-called digital arrest schemes, bogus trading platforms and impersonation scams, saying public vigilance remains the best defence against financial loss.
In one case, a company accountant is said to have transferred ₹2.7 crore after opening an unfamiliar ZIP file and then acting on WhatsApp messages that appeared to come from the firm’s chief executive. Police said the deception went unnoticed for nearly eight days, despite bank alerts being triggered during that period, highlighting how fraud can spread through routine workplace communication channels before victims realise anything is wrong.
A separate case involved a 72-year-old woman who was allegedly cheated out of ₹2.12 crore after fraudsters claimed she faced money-laundering allegations and impersonated officials from agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. The scammers are said to have kept her under a so-called “digital arrest” for 20 days and coerced her into selling gold. In the third case, a doctor who had returned to Hyderabad after working overseas lost ₹52.51 lakh after investing through what police described as a fake trading app promoted by Instagram adverts promising unrealistically high daily returns.
Sajjanar said even well-educated people could be duped if they failed to check claims carefully or ignored basic financial caution. He stressed that digital arrest has no basis in Indian law and that legitimate investigative agencies do not demand money over the phone or through video calls. He also urged victims to report cyber fraud immediately via the national helpline on 1930 or through the cybercrime.gov.in portal.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
