Hyderabad cybercriminals steal ₹5.35 crore in single day

Cybercriminals in Hyderabad orchestrated three separate fraud schemes in a single day, resulting in a total loss of ₹5.35 crore.

In one incident, a company accountant transferred ₹2.70 crore after opening an unidentified ZIP file and responding to fraudulent WhatsApp messages that used the CEO's profile picture. The fraudulent transfers reportedly occurred over an eight-day period.

A 72-year-old woman was swindled of ₹2.12 crore following a 20-day ‘digital arrest’ scam. Fraudsters impersonated officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), threatening her with money laundering charges and coercing her into selling her gold.

A third victim, a doctor, lost ₹52.51 lakh through a fake trading application promoted on Instagram that promised daily profits of 5 to 20 percent.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar warned that ‘digital arrest’ is not a legal procedure in India and emphasized that legitimate investigative agencies do not demand money via online calls. He urged citizens to verify suspicious communications through trusted channels and to monitor bank alerts closely.