Cyber criminals dupe Mandi man of Rs 36.5 lakh

A resident of Mandi has lost Rs 36.5 lakh to cyber fraud.

A complaint was registered at the Cyber Crime police station here on Monday.

According to ASP Manmohan Singh, the victim received a call from an unknown number, claiming that his mobile was linked to illegal activities, and 17 FIRs had been filed against him in Mumbai.

The scammers sent fraudulent documents, alleging suspicious bank accounts and fake ATM cards under the victim's name.

They also provided fake court orders. Posing as an IPS officer, the scammers pressed him to surrender funds, promising to return the money in three days.

"When the promised money did not arrive, he tried to contact the fraudsters but received no response. Realising that he had been scammed, he reported it to police. An investigation is on." the ASP said.

He said people are advised to avoid answering calls from unknown numbers. If threatened, they should not panic and immediately report the matter to police.