Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police-Bhubaneswar has issued a warning about a recent surge in sophisticated cybercrime, specifically cyber arrest scam calls, targeting city residents. The scam involves fraudsters impersonating police officials to extort money from unsuspecting individuals.
Commissionerate Police-Bhubaneswar has urged all residents to remain vigilant against such scams. The authorities advise people to avoid unsolicited calls and not to succumb to pressure tactics. Residents are strongly cautioned against transferring money to unknown accounts based on instructions received through unsolicited calls or messages.
A recent incident highlighted by the police involved a city resident who received a phone call from an unidentified caller posing as a senior official of the Mumbai police. The fake official claimed that a FIR had been lodged against the resident for making indecent calls and sending harassing messages. The fraudster then asked the victim to join a Skype call for further clarification and sent a fabricated FIR copy.
The caller also threatened the victim with immediate arrest for alleged involvement in a major money laundering case linked to Naresh Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways. To avoid arrest, the victim was coerced into sharing personal details, including Aadhar card information and bank account balances. The scammers then pressured the victim to transfer all bank balances to a supposed RBI-mandated government account for auditing.
Sensing the scam, the victim recorded the call and reported it to the cyber police in Bhubaneswar. The Commissionerate Police emphasized the importance of such actions and encouraged others to report similar incidents promptly.
