Senior IT Executive Falls Victim to ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam, Loses Rs 6.29 Crore to Fake CBI Officers
In what is being called Pune’s largest-ever cyber fraud, a 59-year-old senior IT executive from Pashan lost a staggering Rs 6.29 crore—almost his entire life savings—to cyber criminals who posed as CBI officers.
The fraudsters threatened him with action in a fake money laundering case, putting him under digital arrest’ and keeping him on a video call for several hours. They manipulated him into staying at home and not communicating with anyone.
The incident, which began on November 9, was reported to the Pune City Cyber Crime Police on Wednesday. The victim, a high-ranking executive at a top IT company in Mumbai, endured the ordeal for over a week.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber & Economic Offences), Vivek Masal, said: The criminals posed as CBI officers and told him he was under investigation for a money laundering case. They demanded all his personal and financial details, claiming it was part of the probe. They forced him to stay home and remain under digital surveillance, where he was told to liquidate his investments and transfer all funds to fraudulent accounts. The criminals claimed these accounts were linked to the Reserve Bank of India for verification purposes.
Inspector Swapnali Shinde from the cyber crime police station shared: The victim was so terrified that he kept the video call on, even while visiting the bank to liquidate his assets. Bank officials grew suspicious and asked him multiple questions, but he stayed silent. In total, he transferred Rs 6.29 crore in five large transactions to the fraudsters’ accounts.
It was only when he spoke to family members that he realized he had fallen for a cyber scam. This case has been marked as the largest individual cyber fraud ever reported in Pune, though other regions have seen similar digital arrest frauds involving even larger sums.
DCP Masal added, When the complainant came to us, he was deeply distressed. We provided counseling and helped him file the FIR. We have launched a coordinated investigation into the case.
This cyber fraud serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat of online scams and the importance of staying vigilant in the digital world. Stay alert and protect your personal information.
