Mangaluru: Cyber frauds posing as TRAI representatives fleece Rs 1.71 crore

Mangaluru: Cybercriminals posed as representatives of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), fleeced a whopping Rs 1.71 crore from a resident. A case has been registered at the Mangaluru CEN Police Station in this regard.

On November 11, the complainant, while at home, received a call from an unknown person claiming to be a TRAI representative. The caller alleged that another mobile number was registered under the complainant’s name and was involved in illegal activities in Andheri East, Mumbai.

The complainant was warned that marketing calls and other misuse had led to an FIR being filed against the number, and they were instructed to contact the Andheri East police station immediately. Failure to comply, the caller warned, would result in the suspension of their mobile services within two hours.

Subsequently, a person named Pradeep Sawant told the victim that he was linked to a money-laundering scheme involving “Naresh Goyal’s fraud case”. The complainant was also accused of using forged identity documents to purchase a SIM card and open a fraudulent bank account in Andheri.

Later, through a WhatsApp video call, individuals identifying themselves as Rahul Kumar, a police officer, and Akanksha, a CBI officer, presented fake CBI office documents. They demanded money to settle the case. Between November 13 and 19, the complainant transferred Rs 53 lakh, Rs 74 lakh, and Rs 44 lakh, totaling Rs 1.71 crore, under their pressure.

The police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.

The complainant is originally from Mumbai and previously worked for an IT firm in the USA. After returning to India, the victim purchased a flat in Mangaluru and was residing there alone. The victim reportedly lost a significant chunk of the savings in this elaborate scam.