Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai

Mumbai, Jul 22: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 62-year-old housewife from Bandra, Mumbai, was allegedly conned out of Rs 7.88 crore by fraudsters posing as executives of a reputed financial services firm, officials from the West Region Cyber Police Station revealed on Monday.

According to police, the woman was initially contacted on WhatsApp by an individual claiming to be an assistant to a senior officer from the company. The person lured her into a conversation about stock market investments with promises of high returns.

Soon after, she was directed to a fake website and added to a WhatsApp group, where more individuals posing as finance professionals guided her through a series of “investment” steps. Trusting the credentials they portrayed, the woman transferred a total of Rs 7.88 crore into multiple bank accounts over two months.

The fraud came to light when she attempted to withdraw the invested amount and was asked to pay an additional 10% as processing charges. Growing suspicious, she made further inquiries, which eventually confirmed her fears of being duped.

Following her complaint on the national cyber crime portal, the police have registered a case against unidentified persons under relevant sections of the IPC and IT Act. A detailed investigation is currently underway.