MBA Student Loses Rs 43 Lakh to Cybercriminals Posing as CBI Officers

A 23-year-old MBA student from Pune was duped of nearly Rs 43 lakh by cybercriminals who posed as officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The incident came to light after the student filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Baner police station on Sunday.

According to the police, the victim received a phone call a few weeks ago from a man claiming to be a CBI officer from Delhi. The caller directed the student to join a Skype call with a so-called senior officer named Rahul Yadav. During the video call, the student was falsely informed that his Aadhaar card had been linked to 50 criminal cases, including financial fraud and money laundering.

The scammers threatened to arrest the student and his father if he disclosed the matter to anyone. They told him he was under "digital arrest" and forced him to stay connected on video call at all times for surveillance.

The fraudsters then asked the victim to share details of his bank accounts. The student provided information for four accounts and was instructed to transfer 99% of his total bank balance to what the scammers claimed were government accounts for a financial audit.

In a span of three days, the student transferred Rs 42.95 lakh across eight transactions to fraudulent accounts. The criminals later demanded more money and told him to take a loan. Realizing he had been scammed, the student contacted the cybercrime helpline and local police.

A preliminary investigation was conducted, and an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. The case is currently under investigation.

Police have urged the public to stay alert and not to trust unknown callers claiming to be from law enforcement agencies. Citizens are advised to verify such claims through official channels before taking any action.