Last update:November 19, 2024, 4:40 PM IST

Pretending that she was being investigated for money laundering, the fraudsters intimidated the woman into transferring 3.07 million lei to their accounts.

The stolen money was transferred through five different bank accounts.

A major cybercrime case involving a retired teacher rocked Patna, Bihar after more than Rs 3 crore was fraudulently withdrawn from her accounts in just 48 hours. Police confirmed that the crime was orchestrated by a network of cybercriminals operating in several states, with the money being withdrawn from accounts in Karnataka, West Bengal and Gujarat. The stolen funds were transferred through five different bank accounts, including several checking accounts.

The incident took place in Rajendra Nagar locality under Kadamkuan police station area, where the victim, a retired professor from Patna University, lives alone. According to police sources, the scheme began when a group of individuals visited the woman’s home with a fake warrant, trying to trick her into thinking she was involved in a legal matter. Soon after, the cybercriminals, posing as CBI officers, contacted the woman over phone.

Claiming that she is being investigated for money laundering and threatening her with immediate arrest, the scammers intimidated the old woman into transferring 3.07 million lei to their accounts. The victim, fearing for her safety and unaware of the scam, complied with their demands. The entire operation, police say, took place over a 48-hour period, with the criminals systematically draining his funds from several different accounts.

Authorities confirmed that the withdrawals were made using accounts from different regions, including Karnataka, West Bengal and Gujarat, indicating an interstate network of cybercriminals. Police are tracing the origins of the bank accounts and working with financial institutions to track down the perpetrators.

This case has been tagged as the biggest cyber fraud incident reported at Patna cyber police station. Before this, the biggest fraud involved Rs 2.84 crore. In this case, the retired teacher’s isolation and lack of immediate support appear to have made her an easy target for criminals.

Police are continuing to investigate and have urged anyone with information about the fraud to come forward. So far, no arrests have been made, but efforts are underway to find those responsible.