With COVID-19 vaccine, frauds follow: Thane senior citizen looted at home

The senior citizen even served the accused water and tea before they looted her. Representation pic

With the arrival of the vaccines, related scams have started targeting people too. Naupada police in Thane have arrested two people for looting a senior citizen on the pretext of collecting her information for the COVID-19 vaccine. The fraudsters seem to be targeting senior citizens living alone. Amid the pandemic, most senior citizens have been staying at home and are easy targets.

Police have warned against not just strangers approaching people at home but also online. Representation pic

The accused duo visited people at their residences in Naupada, posing as Thane Municipal Corporation employees. They entered the senior citizen's house saying they want to take their details for COVID-19 vaccine and made away with they're gold jewellery and cash.

Police Inspector Ravi Kshirsagar (crime) of Naupada police station said, "A few days ago, two people posing as TMC employees entered Jayshri Kulkarni's house in Guru Niwas society. Kulkarni gave them tea, water but after some time, they threatened her and took away her mangalsutra and R10,000. An investigation was launched in the matter and the two accused were tracked down and arrested.

"They two men have been identified as Ganesh Karavade and Sainath Gaikwad." Suspecting that there might be more such gangs in the area, police have asked Thane residents to be alert to such modus operandis.

Thane's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Zone I) Avinash Ambure said, "Senior citizens should be alert about such people visiting their houses. Do not entertain such people without confirming their details. So far, Thane's civic body has not given any notification regarding visiting residents at home to collect information for the COVID-19 vaccine."

Fraudsters are using the same modus operandi online, too. Mumbai police's DCP (cyber) Rashmi Karandikar, too, advised people and senior citizens to not share any details or documents with strangers online.

- Mehul Jethwa