India cyber fraud scams swindle victims of up to Rs 13 lakh and Rs 1 crore

A retired man in Dehradun was tricked by callers posing as officials from the National Investigation Agency and the Anti‑Terrorism Squad. The fraudsters claimed an FIR for sedition and money‑laundering had been filed, showed fake arrest warrants and demanded payment. Panicked, the victim transferred Rs 13 lakh via RTGS to a bank account in Maharashtra before reporting the scam to Patelnagar police, who noted a rise in digital‑arrest scams.

In Pune, a 56‑year‑old businessman fell prey to a deep‑fake video that featured Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promoting a forex‑trading scheme on Instagram. After sharing personal details, he was guided through a series of fake transactions, received a small “profit” transfer, and was convinced to invest larger sums, ultimately losing over Rs 1.07 crore. The scheme also promised pre‑listing shares of SpaceX, which never existed. Both incidents highlight the growing use of sophisticated impersonation and deep‑fake technology in Indian cyber‑fraud attacks.