Noida doctor duped of ₹59.54 lakh by cyber thugs

The woman was also told by the caller that her name featured during an investigation into a money laundering case

A 40-year-old woman doctor, residing in Noida’s Sector 77, was allegedly duped of ₹59.54 lakh by cyber frauds who posed as officials of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and made her believe that her mobile phone number was used to circulate obscene videos, Noida police officers said on Thursday, adding that she was put on a “digital arrest” by the suspects for around 48 hours from July 15 to 16.

Between July 15 and July 16, the doctor ended up transferring ₹59,54,000 from her bank account to the fraudsters’ accounts, and finally realised having duped on July 20 when she called them back to return the money as assured but they did not take her call. (Representative image)

According to Vivek Ranjan Rai, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), cybercrime, Noida, the complainant, Dr Pooja Goel, received the call on July 13 for the first time.

“The doctor got a call from an unknown male caller who claimed that he was an officials of TRAI, and connected her to ‘Tilak Nagar police station, Mumbai’, stating that there is an FIR registered against her there and an arrest warrant, for allegedly circulation porn videos from her phone number, was issued against her,” said Rai.

Goel was also told by the caller that her name featured during an investigation into a money laundering case.

“The callers asked the woman to come on a video call. During the call, they threatened the complainant using various tactics, and held her hostage virtually -- she was not allowed to move away from her computer for two days during which time they only allowed her to do personal chores.

They also threatened her and her family with dire consequences and said that her daughter could be abducted.

They told her that the only way out was to transfer the entire money in her bank accounts to an account they gave allegedly “for checking all transactions to clear her name”,” said the ACP.

Between July 15 and July 16, Dr Goel ended up transferring ₹59,54,000 from her bank account to the fraudsters’ accounts.

She finally realised that she was duped on July 20 when she called them back as they had assured her that she would get all her money back by then. But they did not take her call.

Goel reported the matter to the police on Monday (July 22). She urged the police for prompt action, stating that the fraudsters have her Aadhaar card details and photographs which could be misused.

A first information report in the matter was registered at the cybercrime police station in Sector 36, Noida, on Monday, officers said on Thursday.

“The unidentified suspects have been booked under sections 308 (2) [extortion], 319 (2) [impersonation], 318 (4) [cheating] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and relevant sections of the IT Act. Police teams have been deployed to nab the culprits,” the ACP said.

.