MANGALURU, 7 JULY

A woman from Mangaluru in the State has fallen victim to a sophisticated scam, losing more than Rs 3.16 crore after being manipulated by fraudsters posing as police officers. The 40-year-old victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous, lodged a complaint with the Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime (CEN) police station.

The ordeal began on 6 June when the woman received a call from an individual 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 situation escalated as the call was transferred to several other individuals, including a person who posed as a public prosecutor.

Over the subsequent weeks, the fraudsters obtained her personal and banking details, convincing her to transfer large sums of money with the assurance that it would be returned after verification. Between 10 and 27 June, she transferred Rs 3.16 crore to various accounts supplied by the scammers.

It was only after confiding in her children that she realised she had been duped and subsequently approached the police. Authorities have initiated an investigation and registered a case.

Police warn the public to remain vigilant against such impersonation scams, highlighting a similar incident reported in Hyderabad, and emphasising the dangers of responding to calls from unknown individuals claiming to be law enforcement.