Pune: A 72-year-old doctor from Chinchwad fell victim to a cyber fraud scheme, losing ₹28.35 lakh to a scammer impersonating a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer. The fraudster accused the doctor of involvement in a money-laundering case and threatened him with arrest, prompting the victim to transfer the money between November 28 and 29.
The victim, who operates a clinic in Mohannagar, received a call on November 28 from an individual claiming to be a CBI officer. The caller alleged that fraudulent transactions worth ₹1 crore had been made using the doctor’s credit card, implicating him in money laundering. Despite denying any involvement, the doctor grew anxious after the fraudster sent fake Supreme Court and Enforcement Directorate (ED) notices via a mobile messaging app.
According to the police, the fraudster assured the doctor he could “help him” avoid arrest but demanded ₹20 lakh as a fee. The victim, fearing legal trouble, transferred the amount to a bank account provided by the caller. Subsequently, the fraudster persuaded him to make additional payments, resulting in the transfer of another ₹8.35 lakh.
The doctor, realizing he had been conned, lodged a complaint with the Pimpri police on Saturday. Investigators revealed that the funds were transferred to a private bank account in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The police have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the fraudster and recover the stolen amount.
