Bengaluru woman loses ₹24 crore to scammers during five-month digital arrest: Here’s how it turned out | Today’s news

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has busted what is being touted as the biggest case of ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud in Karnataka. CCB cyber crime sleuths have reportedly arrested five accused in a massive online scam.

According to The Hindu, they were accused of almost cheating an elderly Bengaluru woman ₹24 crore while posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers.

The victim, Lakshmi Ramamurthy, is a resident of Shivajinagar.

She previously worked as a teacher in Dubai before retiring, the report added. The report quoted the police as saying that she had sold several properties in Bengaluru and Mumbai and was planning to move to the United States (US) to live with her children.

She was targeted after fraudsters learned that she had recently received substantial funds from real estate transactions, India Today reported.

The accused allegedly told the woman that her bank accounts were linked to a money laundering case and warned her not to divulge the matter to anyone, claiming that she was “digitally arrested”.

They posed as police officers investigating a “money laundering case” and subjected her to intense psychological pressure between January and May. ₹24 million.

According to India Today, the racket was uncovered when Ramamurthy visited the ICICI Bank Cantonment Branch to pawn 1.3 kg of gold jewelery to get more cash. Suspecting foul play, the bank manager immediately alerted the police and prevented further loss.

Subsequently, the CCB cyber police intervened and interrogated the woman. They later informed her children who are staying abroad.

So far, five suspects have been arrested from Mumbai, Allahabad and Delhi.

The police froze bank accounts containing ₹60 lakh and traced the stolen money to 22 different accounts as further investigation continues.