Navi Mumbai Couple Lose ₹1.57 Crore in Cyber Fraud

A 90-year-old retired Central Government pensioner and his wife in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, were defrauded of ₹1.57 crore in a fake digital arrest scam.
Fraudsters impersonated officials from the Department of Telecommunications, Karnataka Police, CBI, Supreme Court, and RBI, sending forged notices via WhatsApp.
They threatened legal action under the Official Secrets Act and directed the couple to transfer savings to multiple bank accounts between January 17 and February 25.
The fraud was discovered when the couple read about similar cases and realized no refund came; police have registered a case and are investigating.
Police advise that no government agency conducts digital arrests or asks for money transfers, urging citizens to report such calls to helpline 1930.
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