Coimbatore Woman Loses Rs 80 Lakh to Cyber Fraudster Posing as UP DGP: What to Know
A 77-year-old woman from Coimbatore lost Rs 80 lakh to a fraudster posing as the Director General of Police (DGP) from Uttar Pradesh in a shocking incident of cyber fraud. The elderly woman had been contacted by a man claiming to be the DGP of UP on December 2 with the scam. The fraudster said that her Aadhaar card had money laundering and asked for the transfer of all the funds for "verification" by the CBI and financial authorities.
The scammer manipulated her to such an extent that the aged woman, fearing arrest, went to a private bank in Edayarpalayam, Coimbatore, and transferred Rs 80 lakh to the fraudster's account. The scammer even warned her not to disclose the transaction. If she does so, she would be arrested. Unfortunately, the victim obeyed the call believing it to be a genuine one.
The woman's family soon discovered the fraud when her younger brother, based in Bengaluru, was informed about the incident. Immediately, he registered a complaint on the cybercrime portal and flew to Coimbatore. Upon arriving, he visited the local police and the bank to seek help. In the case of him, although the police had not filed an FIR at that time and were asking the family to wait for 15 days for updates, the police further delayed the case as they asked the family to get the complaint translated into Tamil.
Still, the cybercrime police at the city level assured them of issuing a community service register or CSR for the case. The bank account into which the money was transferred shall be frozen. An FIR shall be filed soon enough. The family has claimed that the local police aren't showing urgency over it and how an elderly woman, working all her life for what little she has, could end up being swindled by the money thieves.
This incident highlights the growing concern over cyber frauds targeting vulnerable senior citizens, and the need for swift police action and better awareness about fraud prevention. Authorities have urged citizens to be cautious when receiving unsolicited calls, particularly those involving financial matters.
