In a troubling instance of psychological manipulation, scammers convinced an 83-year-old woman from South Mumbai that she was under “digital arrest” in relation to a financial crime, leading her to part with ₹7.7 crore.
The First Weapon: Fear
The scam started when a caller claiming to be from a courier company informed the woman that a package in her name was connected to money laundering. The call was quickly “transferred” to individuals pretending to be police officers, who escalated the threat.
A Month-Long Captivity in the Mind
The woman was told not to leave her house, not to answer calls from family, and not to ask for assistance for almost 30 days. Fraudsters made her feel even more alone and afraid by convincing her that her phone and security cameras were being watched.
The Drain of Money
She was forced to make several transfers over the course of the month in order to “secure” her assets for the investigation. Her life savings were transferred into accounts under the scammers’ control with each transaction.
A senior Mumbai Cyber Police officer stated, “This was psychological imprisonment, not just financial fraud.”
The Unreliable Jet Airways Connection
To give their threats more credibility, the criminals made up the story that her accounts were connected to Naresh Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways, who is currently being investigated in the real world.
Officers on High Alert
Cyber units are investigating the accounts and IP addresses linked to a reported case of extortion and cheating. Authorities are cautioning the public, particularly the elderly, against answering shady legal threats on the phone.
