A builder in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad was duped of Rs 1 crore after cybercriminals, posing as police officials, digitally arrested him and coerced him into transferring the funds.
The victim has lodged a complaint with the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Cell, which has now launched an investigation into the incident. According to the builder, the fraudsters used details of a recent Rs 50 crore land deal he was involved in to gain his trust and manipulate him.
The ordeal began on July 3, when the builder received a call from someone claiming to represent a FedEx courier service in Mumbai’s Andheri area. The caller alleged that a parcel in his name contained 550 grams of MD drugs and claimed that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had filed a case against him.
The call was transferred to an individual posing as an NCB officer, who instructed the builder to provide an online statement. During a Skype video call, the builder was shown a person appearing to be in a police station. The individual introduced himself as Pradeep Sawant, a police inspector, and accused the builder of involvement in suspicious bank transactions.
To intimidate him further, the scammers threatened investigations by multiple agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), NCB and Mumbai Cyber Crime Cell. Under pressure, the builder was coerced into transferring Rs 1.05 crore online, with assurances that the amount would be returned within 10 days.
The scammers bolstered their scheme by referencing the builder’s recent Rs 50 crore land deal in Mumbai, lending credibility to their claims. However, after transferring the money, the builder received no further communication.
It was only five months later that the victim realised he had been duped and approached the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Cell to file a formal complaint.
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