Chandigarh, March 6 — A Sector 18 resident was duped of ₹57.16 lakh after scammers posing as law enforcement officials accused her of money laundering and coerced her into transferring the amount.
According to her complaint, she received a call on November 6, 2024, from a man claiming to be a DHL employee. He told her that a suspicious parcel in her name, allegedly containing five passports, five credit cards, 3.5 kg of clothes, and 400 grams of MDMA, had been sent to Beijing.
She was then connected via WhatsApp to individuals posing as Mumbai Police and CBI officials, who accused her of being involved in money laundering. “Under pressure, I liquidated investments, took loans, and sold gold to arrange ₹57.16 lakh. They monitored me through WhatsApp and Skype, instructing me not to disclose anything,” she said.
After transferring the money, she received no further response, which led her to realize she had been scammed. Based on her complaint, a case has been registered at the cyber police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Cyber Cell Issues Advisory
Following a rise in digital fraud cases, the UT police cyber crime cell has issued an advisory urging residents to stay vigilant. Scammers often impersonate police or government officials, using official-sounding language, spoofed caller IDs, and fabricated threats to extort money or sensitive information.
The advisory instructs residents to verify caller identities through official platforms, avoid sharing personal or financial details with unverified contacts, and report any suspicious activity to authorities immediately.
