A 41-year-old software professional from Ahmedabad fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹52.12 lakh after being tricked into believing he was implicated in an international drug and money laundering case.

The complainant, Sarthak Kamleshbhai Mohanthal, residing in Anandnagar, received a call on July 5, 2024 from an unknown number claiming to be from a law enforcement agency. The caller alleged that a parcel addressed to him had been seized in Taiwan, containing five passports, ₹35,000 in cash, and 200 grams of illegal drugs. The caller further claimed that his Aadhaar details were linked to criminal activities, including drug trafficking and money laundering.

To convince him, the fraudsters orchestrated a video call through Skype, during which they pressured him to cooperate with an 'investigation' to prove his innocence. They instructed him to isolate himself from family members and relocate to a hotel for two days. Under the pretext of following government regulations, they convinced him to transfer 98% of his savings to specific bank accounts for 'verification'.

Fearing legal repercussions, Sarthak complied and transferred ₹52.12 lakh through RTGS to multiple bank accounts, as per the scammers’ instructions. However, realising he had been deceived, he reported the incident to the cybercrime helpline (1930) and filed a formal complaint with the Anandnagar police station.

Police have launched an investigation into the matter, tracking the bank accounts and mobile numbers used in the scam. Preliminary findings suggest that the operation was orchestrated by a cybercrime syndicate, possibly operating from overseas.

Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant against such frauds, emphasising that no law enforcement agency demands money transfers for verification purposes. Individuals receiving suspicious calls should report them immediately to cybercrime authorities.