Delhi resident Premlata, from Dwarka, became the victim of an elaborate online scam that left authorities stunned. The incident began on September 14, 2023, when Premlata received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to have Rs 25,000 of her husband Dharamveer’s salary but said he was unable to transfer it to Dharamveer’s account. Instead, the caller asked for Premlata’s help to transfer the money online.
A Deceptive Trap
Dwarka District Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ankit Singh explained that shortly after the call, Premlata received two text messages: one confirming a deposit of Rs 20,000 and another for Rs 50,000. The caller then reached out again, claiming he had mistakenly transferred Rs 50,000 instead of Rs 5,000 and asked Premlata to return the excess Rs 45,000. Trusting the caller, Premlata complied and transferred the amount back.
However, when she later reviewed her account, she was shocked to find that no money had been credited to her account, but Rs 45,000 had indeed been debited. Realizing she had been scammed, Premlata immediately reported the incident to the police. An investigation was launched, and it soon became clear that the messages she received were fraudulent.
Investigation Leads to Arrest
DCP Ankit Singh revealed that the investigation traced the fraudulent funds to a bank account registered under the name Bharti Meena. Meena was summoned for questioning under Section 41A of the CrPC, and during interrogation, she revealed that a man named Dhan Singh had previously approached her, promising to help secure a loan using her buffalo as collateral. Singh had opened the bank account for Meena and later retrieved the banking kit, including her debit card and password, under the guise of closing the account after her loan application was unsuccessful.
A Web of Deception Uncovered
Following this lead, the police issued a notice for Dhan Singh and brought him in for questioning. Singh initially claimed to be an Axis Bank employee who opened accounts according to banking policy. However, further inquiries revealed that Singh had been terminated from the bank due to fraud.
The investigation uncovered that Singh had 16 bank accounts linked to his name, all used to funnel money obtained through online scams. As a result, Singh was arrested, and during further questioning, the Dwarka District Police uncovered a staggering 153 cases of online fraud tied to his operations.
Authorities Urge Caution
This case highlights the growing threat of online scams and the need for vigilance when dealing with unsolicited requests for money transfers. The Delhi police continue to investigate, urging the public to be cautious and report any suspicious activity.