Cyber Fraud: Scammers loot INR 9 Lakhs from a Mumbai Railway Official

 

Posing as CBI officers, scammers first threatened a senior railway official, tricking him into a web of deception that eventually cost him INR 9 lakhs. According to an official statement, the 59-year-old victim works as the Chief Electrical Engineer at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and resides in Colaba, South Mumbai.

Reports suggest that the cybercriminals impersonated CBI officers and used sophisticated methods to extort the railway official. Previously, cyber frauds were mainly conducted through phone calls or text messages, but scammers have now taken to video calls to manipulate victims. The railway official fell into this trap when he was falsely accused of being involved in a money laundering case and was threatened with an online court appearance.

The scammers even staged a video call with a fake ‘judge’ and kept the official on the call for nearly 20 hours, pressuring him into submission.

How the Fraud Unfolded

On the morning of September 16, the victim received a voice-recorded message on his mobile phone, stating that his number would be blocked within two hours. He was instructed to press '0' for further details, which led to a video call. During the call, the fraudster introduced himself as a CBI officer and accused the railway official of being linked to a money laundering case. According to the scammer, the official’s mobile number was connected to a bank account involved in financial fraud amounting to INR 5.8 million.

Despite the official’s denial, the scammer intensified the pressure, claiming that the mobile number registered under the official’s name was tied to a bank account used for illegal transactions. Alarmed by the allegations, the official, who was at work at the time, rushed home.

That same afternoon, at around 2:00 PM, another video call was made. This time, the fraudsters collected personal details, including the official’s family background and financial assets. They then instructed him to appear before an online court, where a ‘judge’ would issue a verdict on the case.

The video call continued until 9:30 AM the next day. During this call, the official was presented before a fake judge, who accused him of unauthorized bank transactions from his account. To prove his innocence, the official was asked to provide his banking details, which he did. The scammers then directed him to deposit INR 9 lakhs into a designated bank account. It was only while making the transaction that the official realized he had been duped.

He immediately alerted his bank’s manager to stop the transaction, but unfortunately, it was too late. A complaint has since been lodged at Colaba Police Station.