Scammers pose as Delhi Police, mention a fake Telecom Registering Authority of India (TRAI) case

Mysuru: Miscreants posing as Delhi Police have defrauded a 72-year-old woman of Rs. 1.39 crore through an elaborate phone scam.

On Sept. 18, Sowbhagya (name changed) received a call from an unknown individual claiming to be from Delhi Police.

When she inquired about the reason for the call, the scammer falsely informed her that the Telecom Registering Authority of India (TRAI) had filed a case against her. He further threatened that her Aadhaar card had been used to open an account at a private bank where crores of rupees had been transacted.

To convince her, the caller sent a fake warrant and bail security bond via WhatsApp, demanding she deposit Rs. 2 crore as a security bond, promising it would be returned on Aug. 13 after an investigation. He also instructed her to remain indoors and not communicate with anyone.

Believing the caller to be genuine, Sowbhagya transferred a total of Rs. 1,39,72,104 in phases to the bank account provided by the scammer. When the promised refund did not arrive by the agreed date, she tried contacting the number, only to discover it was switched off.

Realising she had been duped, Sowbhagya filed a complaint with the city’s Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime Police Station. Authorities have registered a case and are investigating the matter.