A 77-year-old woman from Hyderabad has lost Rs 1.8 crore to cyber fraudsters who impersonated industrialist Mukesh Ambani and officials from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The elaborate scam lasted several months and left the elderly victim with just Rs 6,000 in her bank account.
The fraud began with a WhatsApp message informing the woman that she had won a lottery prize of Rs 2 crore. The scammers sent fake identification documents and forged RBI papers that even featured the Prime Minister’s photograph to appear legitimate.
Over the following months, the fraudsters gradually built trust with the victim through regular communication. They convinced her to share sensitive personal information including her Aadhaar card, PAN card, and complete bank account details.
The scammers then gained remote access to her mobile phone, giving them control over her banking transactions. They pressured the elderly woman to break her joint fixed deposits, falsely claiming it was required under RBI regulations to process the lottery winnings.
The stolen amount was siphoned off through 123 small transactions to avoid detection by banking systems that flag large suspicious transfers. This method of breaking down the fraud into multiple smaller amounts is a common tactic used by cybercriminals.
By the time the woman realized she had been duped, nearly her entire life savings had vanished. The incident highlights the vulnerability of senior citizens to sophisticated cyber fraud schemes.
Authorities have repeatedly warned citizens about lottery scams and fraudulent messages claiming prize money. No legitimate lottery or government organization asks winners to share banking credentials or pay fees to claim prizes.
The case serves as a stark reminder for families to educate elderly relatives about cyber fraud. Security experts advise people to immediately block and report suspicious WhatsApp messages claiming lottery wins or government benefits.
Citizens should never share personal documents like Aadhaar or PAN cards with unknown contacts. Banking details and OTPs must be kept confidential under all circumstances. Any message asking for such information should be treated as a potential scam.
Police investigations are currently underway to trace the fraudsters and recover the stolen funds.
