An 86-year-old woman in Mumbai was a victim of a cyber fraud scheme, losing ₹20.25 crore after being called by a fake call about the misuse of her Aadhaar card. The fraudsters, who were pretending to be police officials, informed her that her Aadhaar was being misused for criminal purposes and forced her to transfer money into several bank accounts.
How the ₹20.25 Crore Scam Unfolded
The fraud started with a call, in which the scammers told her that someone had opened an account in her name based on her Aadhaar information. They accused the account of being misused for criminal purposes, including money laundering.
To further intimidate the victim, the scammers threatened her with legal action against her and her family, including her daughter. To escape punishment, they told her to send huge amounts of money to different bank accounts.
Victim Placed Under ‘Digital Arrest’
In the scam, the scammers put the woman under what they referred to as a “digital arrest,” where she could not speak about the matter with anyone. This helped the criminals to keep on draining her money from December 26, 2024, to March 3, 2025.
Police Investigation Underway
Following discovery that she had been defrauded, the woman lodged a report with the police. Authorities have since initiated an investigation, followed the suspicious transactions, and arrested suspects who are associated with the scam. The investigation is continuing.
This is a pointer to the emerging threat of cyber fraud, especially on vulnerable members of society. Authorities are asking citizens to be alert to such scams and report immediately any suspected activity.
