Pune: A 64-year-old resident of Kalepadal lost Rs 18 lakh to cybercriminals in a digital arrest fraud between April 8 and 15 this year.The senior citizen lodged a complaint with Kalepadal police on Tuesday.An officer from the Kalepadal police said the elderly man received a video call from an unknown number on April 8. The caller claimed to be from a law enforcement agency and told him that a terrorist had misused his Aadhaar details to open a bank account.“The caller further alleged that Rs 70 crore had been routed through the account and that the terrorist had transferred Rs 70 lakh to the complainant,” he said.“The caller told him that an arrest warrant had been issued against him and that his property would also be sealed,” the officer said.The crook then sent a copy of the alleged arrest warrant and documents related to the property seizure via a mobile messaging app. “When the complainant denied receiving any money, the caller assured him of assistance,” he added.The officer said the caller obtained details of the complainant’s bank balance and investments, claiming that the agency needed to verify his accounts. The victim was instructed to transfer money to a specified bank account for verification, with the assurance that the amount would be returned immediately afterward.“Trusting the caller, the complainant transferred Rs 18 lakh to the account provided and ended up losing the money,” the officer added.
