In a shocking case of cybercrime, a 41-year-old Thane resident has fallen victim to an intricate online scam, losing over 24 lakh rupees in just four days. The fraud, orchestrated through the instant messaging service app Telegram, highlights the growing sophistication of digital con artists and the urgent need for public awareness on cyber safety. The incident, which occurred between August 2 and August 6, began when the victim, a working professional living in Lodha Amara, Thane West, received a message from an unknown Telegram user. The scammer sent her a link, instructing her to create a user ID and password.
Following this initial contact, two other Telegram users added the woman to a group named "5000-vip." Through this group, the perpetrators manipulated the victim into completing various "prepaid tasks," ultimately coercing her to transfer a total of 24,40,800 rupees to multiple bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
The Kapurbawdi Police Station has registered a case under sections 66(c), 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and section 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. The case is currently under investigation by Police Sub-Inspector Mahadik.