Hyderabad Cyber Frauds: Three Victims Lose Rs 5.35 Crore in One Day

Three cyber fraud cases in Hyderabad caused losses of Rs 5.35 crore in a day, involving a fake CEO scam, digital arrest fraud and an investment scheme. Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar urged vigilance and immediate reporting through helpline 1930

Hyderabad: Three major cyber fraud cases were reported in Hyderabad in a single day, resulting in losses of Rs 5.35 crore for three victims. Hyderabad Commissioner of Police V.C. Sajjanar urged citizens to remain vigilant and take cybercrime awareness advisories seriously.

Of the total amount lost, Rs 2.70 crore was reported in a fake CEO or boss scam, Rs 2.12 crore in a digital arrest fraud and Rs 52.51 lakh in a fake investment scheme.

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Sajjanar said that even educated people, experienced investors and prominent businesspersons were falling prey to cybercriminals despite repeated awareness campaigns by the government and the police. He said he had personally interacted with the three victims and found that they had believed such frauds would not happen to them.

In the investment fraud case, the victim, who had been active in the stock market for nearly 10 years, was allegedly lured by a message received on Instagram. In the digital arrest case, the victim panicked after receiving threatening calls. A prominent Hyderabad businessman lost money in the fake CEO scam after mistaking a fraudulent request for a routine message requiring clearance, Sajjanar said.

The Hyderabad Police Commissioner stressed that people should not panic when they receive suspicious calls or messages purportedly from law enforcement agencies, senior executives or investment advisers. They should independently verify such requests and never transfer money or approve transactions without proper confirmation.

He urged family members, friends and colleagues to support potential victims and alert them to possible scams before they suffer financial losses. Once money is transferred, tracing the fraudsters, securing arrests and recovering the amount becomes challenging, he said. He added that the role of banks and other intermediaries would also be examined.

The Commissioner urged citizens to report cyber financial fraud immediately by calling 1930 and to share awareness messages with family members and friends to help prevent further losses.