Fraudster posing as CBI Officer cheats elderly Khar woman of Rs 8.8 lakh, police launches investigations

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An elderly woman from Khar has fallen victim to a fraudster posing as a CBI officer, losing Rs 8.8 lakh. The Khar police have registered a case and launched investigations into the matter, an official said on Sunday.

According to the police, the fraud began in August when the woman received a phone call from a person claiming to be one Vinay Kumar Chaibe, an officer from the CBI's Bangalore branch. The fraudster told her that a writ petition had been filed against her in the Bangalore court, alleging that fake bank accounts were opened in her name using her Aadhaar card, from which Rs 20 lakh had been taken by Naresh Goyal, who is under arrest for money laundering.

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The fraudster warned the woman that she could be arrested as well. In a panic, the woman denied any knowledge of Goyal or the alleged accounts. The fraudster threatened her, saying she would need to go to the Delhi High Court to clear her name, the police said.

The woman asked for a solution, at which point the fraudster instructed her to download a fake payment app. She was also given a fake Bangalore Police ID (206) and was connected to an investigation ID (301), both of which were part of the scam, said an official.

The fraudster kept instructing her not to reveal anything and to report to him every two hours, he added.

Over time, the scammer convinced the woman to transfer Rs 8.8 lakh into various accounts, promising her that this would clear her name. After making the payments, she realised she had been deceived and reported the incident to the Khar police, the police said.

The police have registered a case after receiving a complaint regarding the matter and are further investigating the case, the official said.