A woman residing in Verna was allegedly cheated of ₹4.04 lakh by a group of unidentified individuals posing as officers from the CBI and MIDC police. The scam occurred on December 30 last year, when the victim was contacted through a WhatsApp video call.
The fraudsters falsely claimed that her mobile number linked to her Aadhaar was involved in serious crimes including money laundering, human trafficking, and kidnapping. They further asserted that an FIR had been filed against her.
To make the scam appear legitimate, one of the fraudsters displayed a fake CBI ID card and shared a fabricated arrest warrant and seizure order. The woman, originally from Gujarat, was threatened with immediate arrest along with her minor daughter if she failed to pay up.
Panicked and fearing for her safety, the woman transferred ₹4,04,998 through UPI and bank transactions in three separate installments.
Following her complaint, Verna Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act. Verna PI Anand Shirodkar is leading the investigation under the supervision of Mormugao DySP Gurudas Kadam.
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams and verify any such law enforcement claims through official channels.