Cybercriminals have expanded their fraudulent activities to southern states, impersonating IPS officers to deceive victims. In a recent incident in Hyderabad, fraudsters posing as Ms. Navjot Simi, an IPS officer from Karnataka, swindled Rs 12 lakh from a 70-year-old retired central government employee.
The con began with a woman caller claiming the retired employee was implicated in a Rs 6 crore money laundering case, accusing him of receiving a 10% commission. She threatened arrest under the Money Laundering Act but offered a “settlement” by paying Rs 12 lakh, assuring the victim that the charges would be cleared and the amount refunded if he was innocent.
Without verifying the caller’s identity, the elderly man transferred the money. He later discovered the real Ms. Navjot Simi, a 2018-batch IPS officer, is posted in Bihar, not Karnataka. Attempts to contact the fraudsters failed as they blocked his number.
Hyderabad’s cybercrime police have traced the bank account, where the funds were deposited, to Ludhiana, Punjab. The account appears to be fake or a mule account. Authorities have registered a case and are actively investigating the incident to apprehend the culprits.
Police have urged citizens to verify credentials and avoid transferring money based on unverified claims.
