Cyber crooks dupe women techies of over Rs 5 lakh in Hyderabad

Two women software professionals from Hyderabad have become victims of the newest fraud in separate cases

Hyderabad: Adopting a new modus operandi, cyber fraudsters are now threatening the gullible with threats of arrest for drug peddling and extorting money.

Two women software professionals from Hyderabad have become victims of the newest fraud in separate cases. While one lost Rs. 4.50 lakh another was duped of Rs. 1.50 lakh.

According to the police, both the women received phone calls from unknown persons claiming they were from a courier service company based in Mumbai and had intercepted a parcel containing drugs being exported to Taiwan.

“The callers shared the Aadhaar card, Pan Card and other details of the victims over phone to threaten and charge them of being drug peddlers and involved in illicit trade.

When the women denied sending any parcel, the caller pretended to believe them and gave a contact number of some person who they claimed was a police official from Mumbai police,” said ACP Cybercrimes, K V M Prasad.

On contacting the said ‘official’ of the Mumbai police over phone, the women victims were further threatened by him saying they had been in Mumbai along with the kingpin of a drug racket. To scare the victims, the fraudsters sent a video of a woman walking on the street in Mumbai and charged it was they in the clip and it was a strong evidence in the drug case.

The woman on different instances transferred amounts to the bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. The police have tracked down the phone numbers to Mumbai and a team is being sent to verify the bank accounts where the money was transferred.

“We appeal to the people not to believe or get afraid of such phone calls. In case they receive any phone call, it is advisable to block the number or approach the local police station or cybercrime police station for assistance,” said Prasad.

The police suspect local gangs operating from Mumbai to be behind the scam.