In a shocking case of cyber extortion, a 27-year-old woman from Ahmedabad's Naranpura fell prey to a sophisticated scam where cybercriminals impersonating officers from central agencies swindled her out of Rs 5 lakh.
In a shocking case of cyber extortion, a 27-year-old woman from Ahmedabad's Naranpura fell prey to a sophisticated scam where cybercriminals impersonating officers from central agencies swindled her out of Rs 5 lakh. The woman, Hemali Pandya, lodged a police complaint stating that the fraudsters, under the guise of law enforcement, threatened her with legal action under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
But the deception didn’t stop there. In a chilling turn of events, the criminals forced Pandya into an unimaginable scenario—coercing her to undress in front of a webcam during what they falsely labeled as a 'digital arrest.'
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed with the Naranpura police, Pandya, who resides in Samarpan Tower on the 132 Feet Ring Road, received a suspicious call on October 13 from an individual posing as a courier company employee. The caller claimed a parcel bearing her name, containing three laptops, two cell phones, 150 grams of mephedrone, and 1.5 kg of clothing, was sent to Thailand. He instructed Pandya to urgently contact cybercrime authorities.
In her panic, Pandya reached out to the cybercrime helpline, only to be met with a WhatsApp call from someone pretending to be a Delhi Cybercrime officer. The fraudulent 'officer' informed her that her name had surfaced in a narcotics investigation and insisted she participate in a video conference. To reinforce their lies, they sent Pandya forged letters that falsely implicated her in a narcotics smuggling and money laundering case.
Terrified and fearing imprisonment, Pandya reluctantly joined the video call. During the call, a man posing as a CBI officer, hiding his face, demanded that she undress to prove her identity by revealing birthmarks on her body. Despite her initial hesitation, the threats of jail time compelled her to comply, as she later reported in the FIR. Adding to the traumatic ordeal, a woman officer was also present during the video call, further pressuring her to disrobe.
Beyond the psychological torment, the fraudsters siphoned off her savings. They forced her to transfer approximately Rs 4.92 lakh to accounts they controlled, draining her financial reserves.
When Pandya shared her distress with a neighbor, the neighbor bravely confronted one of the fraudsters via phone. Shockingly, the scammer admitted, "This woman was made a victim of cyberfraud, so please take care of her," before abruptly cutting off the call. All the contact numbers associated with the criminals were deactivated shortly after.
The Naranpura police have launched an investigation, booking the unidentified culprits under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including forgery, impersonation, cheating, extortion, and criminal conspiracy.