Mangaluru: Woman duped of Rs 3.16 cr in 'digital arrest' fraud
Mangaluru (PTI): A woman from Mangaluru lost over Rs 3.16 crore after fraudsters posing as police manipulated her into transferring the money under the pretext of a "digital arrest", police said.
The woman (40), who has requested anonymity, lodged a complaint with the Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime (CEN) police station.
According to the complaint, she received a call on June 6 from a person claiming to be an officer from the National Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
The caller alleged that a SIM card registered in her husband's name was being "misused". The call was transferred multiple times, eventually to someone posing as a public prosecutor, they said.
Over the following weeks, the fraudsters collected her personal and banking details and instructed her to make several fund transfers, assuring her that the money would be returned after verification.
It started with one person posing as police, but eventually, several people became involved in the scam. Between June 10 and 27, she transferred Rs 3.16 crore to various bank accounts provided by the accused.
Police said the woman approached them only after confiding in her children and realising she had been duped.
A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
A similar fraud was recently reported in Hyderabad, the police said and urged the public to be cautious when responding to unknown callers posing as "law enforcement authorities".
A ‘digital arrest’ is a tactic where scammers exploit fear to take control of a person's digital presence and extort money or personal data.
Masquerading as law enforcement or government officials, they keep victims under constant video surveillance on platforms like Skype until they extract the demanded payments or data.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN CM Vijay calls fuel price hike ‘unacceptable’, seeks rollback
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday slammed the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices, calling it "unacceptable", and demanded its immediate rollback, claiming the revision would affect various sections of society.
He said oil marketing companies do not reduce prices in line with global crude price trends and "take the profits".
"Union government oil marketing companies have increased the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre. This is not acceptable," Vijay said in a statement.
The hike has been effected after the "five-state polls" (four states and one union territory), he added.
This price rise will largely affect the income of the poor and middle class using two-wheelers and small vehicles, as well as others dependent on vehicles for their livelihood, the CM said.
It will ultimately result in an increase in the prices of daily commodities and also "affect the purchasing power of the poor," he added.
Citing the chain effect of the price revision, such as increased input costs for small units, he said it could lead to a "slowdown" in the market and exports.
"Therefore, I urge the union government to immediately roll back the price hike that will affect the poor and middle-class people and SMEs," Vijay added.
Global crude oil prices have surged more than 50 per cent since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, which disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil shipments.
Petrol and diesel prices are now at their highest level since May 2022.
