Bilaspur. Cyber thugs defrauded 54 lakh 30 thousand rupees from 71 year old retired city officer Jai Singh Chandel. The accused, posing as officers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), threatened to implicate them in money laundering and pornography cases. Money was demanded by sending fake FIR on WhatsApp and threatening over calls. The swindlers converted the money into cryptocurrency and sent it abroad. Rs 23 lakh has been recovered from the accounts of two accused arrested from Rajasthan, while the search for other members of the gang is going on.
Fraud of Rs 54 lakh in 20 days
The victim, Jai Singh Chandel, a resident of Civil Line area, was targeted by thugs in July. The accused sent a fake FIR on WhatsApp and said that a case of money laundering and pornography was registered in their name. In a call, posing as a Mumbai Police officer, he was threatened that his ATM card had been found with a suspect. Threatened by this false allegation, a total of Rs 54 lakh 30 thousand was transferred in different installments within 20 days.
International connection of fraud, money sent outside
Police investigation revealed that the fraudsters converted the defrauded money into cryptocurrency USDT and secured it through their contacts in North America, China and Europe. The gang members used this money to buy expensive goods by selling them at low prices.
Two accused arrested from Rajasthan
Police conducted raids in Alwar district of Rajasthan on the basis of call details and bank accounts. Two accused named Nikunj Kumar and Lakshya Saini were arrested from there. Both the accused work in salons and are diploma engineering students. So far Rs 23 lakh has been recovered from their accounts.
SP’s appeal: Awareness can save us from fraud
SP Rajnesh Singh said that thugs are targeting people through new schemes. Do not transfer money without verifying the authenticity of any suspicious call or email. Such crimes can be prevented only through cyber security and awareness.
Tags: Bilaspur news, cyber fraud, Local18, online fraud
FIRST PUBLISHED: December 11, 2024, 23:27 IST
