Mysuru: Despite repeated warnings from the Police that there is no legal procedure called as ‘Digital Arrest,’ cyber fraudsters continue to exploit the scam, cheating unsuspecting victims of large sums of money.

In the latest fraud that occurred in city, a 68-year-old resident of JP Nagar 2nd Stage was duped of Rs. 70.77 lakh by fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials. Based on his complaint, City Cybercrime, Economic Offences, and Narcotics (CEN) Police registered an FIR on Wednesday.

According to the complaint, the victim received a phone call on July 3 from a woman identifying herself as Sakshi Agarwal from Delhi.

She claimed that a SIM card had been issued in his name in Tilaknagar, Mumbai, and advised him to lodge a complaint if he was unaware of it. When the victim denied having obtained such a SIM card, she claimed that a complaint had already been registered and even provided a complaint number.

Later, during a WhatsApp video call, another fraudster posing as an officer from the Mumbai branch of the CBI told him that he had been implicated in a money-laundering case.

The fraudsters claimed that funds linked to the Naresh Goyal case had been transferred to his Canara Bank account. Although the victim maintained that he did not hold an account with the bank, they forced him to write a declaration and send them a photograph.

They further claimed that during a raid on Naresh Goyal’s residence, officials had recovered his Aadhaar card and ATM card and accused him of selling his documents in exchange for commission. They then demanded details of all his financial assets.

The fraudsters allegedly told the victim that he was under ‘Digital Arrest’ and instructed him to remain on continuous video surveillance without informing anyone about the investigation.

Believing the claims to be genuine, the victim prematurely encashed fixed deposits held with SBI and Canara Bank, transferred the money to his savings accounts and on different dates, remitted a total of Rs. 70.77 lakh through RTGS to multiple bank accounts specified by the fraudsters.

The victim became suspicious only on July 28, when the fraudsters demanded more money. He then informed his son, following which a complaint was lodged.