An elderly couple in Lucknow has been duped out of over Rs 42 lakh after being falsely linked to Pulwama terror and money-laundering investigations, highlighting a rising trend of sophisticated cyber fraud targeting seniors.
Cyber fraudsters in Lucknow have once again used fear, impersonation and relentless video calls to trap an elderly couple, this time coercing a retired Food Corporation of India employee and his wife out of about Rs 42.09 lakh by falsely linking them to the Pulwama terror attack and a money-laundering probe.
According to the complaint, the scam began on 23 July when a WhatsApp caller claimed that a sim card and bank records in the victim’s name had surfaced in an investigation involving people arrested in connection with Pulwama. The callers then presented themselves as officers from the Anti-Terrorism Squad, the National Investigation Agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation, telling the couple they were under a form of “digital arrest” and must keep their phone cameras switched on at all times.
Over the following 18 days, the fraudsters kept the pair isolated and monitored through video calls, warning them not to tell relatives or neighbours or risk immediate arrest and a prison term. They extracted details about the couple’s bank accounts, fixed deposits, post office savings and jewellery before pressing them to send money through RTGS transfers. Police say the money was divided across six transactions and routed into multiple accounts before the victims realised they had been deceived.
The case is the latest in a string of high-value cyber frauds targeting older residents of Lucknow through fake police and agency identities. In one separate case reported earlier this year, an 85-year-old man was allegedly cheated of Rs 84.5 lakh in a similar operation, while another elderly resident lost more than Rs 35 lakh after being told he was facing arrest over a bogus bank transaction. In at least one recent incident, alert bank staff in the city prevented a large transfer after recognising the signs of the scam. Police are now tracing the payment trail in the latest case and examining the accounts used to move the money.
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.
