Bengaluru Scam Alert: Woman Loses ₹1.25 Lakh After Fraudsters Falsely Claim Son's Arrest in Rape Case

A Bengaluru woman lost ₹1.25 lakh after cyber fraudsters posing as police falsely claimed her son had been arrested in a rape case. The scammers used fear and a fake voice call to extort money before demanding more funds.

Cyber fraudsters in Bengaluru are employing increasingly sophisticated and ruthless tactics to deceive unsuspecting victims. In a recent case reported under the HAL Police Station limits, a woman was duped of ₹1.25 lakh after fraudsters, posing as police officers, falsely claimed that her son had been arrested in connection with a gang-rape case. The scammers used fear and emotional manipulation to extort money from the distressed mother.

How the Scam Unfolded?

According to the complaint, the woman received a call from an international number on June 18. The caller introduced himself as a police officer and informed her that her son had been taken into custody for allegedly being involved in a gang-rape case.

To make the story appear genuine, another person joined the call and mimicked her son's voice, pretending to be in distress and seeking help.

Verification Attempt Fails

Shocked by the allegations, the woman immediately tried to contact her son to verify the claim. However, his phone was on silent mode, and he did not answer her calls.

Unable to reach him and fearing the worst, she believed the fraudsters' story and became increasingly anxious about her son's safety and future.

Money Extorted in Stages

Taking advantage of her panic, the fraudsters demanded money, claiming it was required to prevent the registration of an FIR and to secure her son's release along with his motorcycle.

Fearing that a criminal case would ruin her son's future, the woman transferred a total of ₹1.25 lakh in multiple instalments to QR codes shared by the accused.

The scammers later demanded an additional ₹2 lakh, claiming that the amount was needed for a mandatory medical examination related to the case.

Suspicion Leads to Complaint

The demand for more money eventually raised the woman's suspicions. She made further enquiries and realised that she had fallen victim to a cyber fraud.

She subsequently approached the HAL Police Station and lodged a complaint.

Police Launch Investigation

Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case against unidentified persons and launched an investigation to trace the accused and recover the defrauded amount.

Police have once again urged citizens to independently verify such claims and avoid transferring money in response to threats or pressure from unknown callers.