Senior Citizen in Mumbai Loses ₹1.57 Crore in Cyber Fraud; Auto Driver Arrested
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MUMBAI — A senior citizen in the Andheri district of Mumbai lost ₹1.57 crore ($189,000) in a cyber fraud scheme, police said Monday, leading to the arrest of an auto rickshaw driver who allegedly allowed a scamster to use his bank account.
The incident occurred on Monday morning when the elderly victim, whose identity has not been released, was targeted by fraudsters posing as bank officials. The scammers convinced the victim to transfer funds to what they claimed was a secure account. Instead, the money was routed through multiple accounts before disappearing.
Police arrested the auto driver, identified only as a 45-year-old resident of the city, for facilitating the transaction. He was detained for allowing a fraudster to use his bank account in exchange for a commission, authorities said. The driver was taken into custody at a local police station and is currently facing charges of aiding and abetting cyber fraud.
The investigation is ongoing, with police working to trace the remaining funds and identify other individuals involved in the scheme. Authorities have not yet recovered the stolen money.
Cyber fraud cases have risen sharply in Mumbai in recent months, with senior citizens being frequent targets. Police have urged the public to be cautious of unsolicited calls and messages claiming to be from financial institutions.
The auto driver’s arrest marks a significant step in the investigation, but questions remain about the full extent of the fraud network and whether other accomplices are at large. Police have not disclosed how many other accounts were used in the scheme or the total amount of money involved beyond the victim’s loss.
As the case develops, authorities are expected to release more details about the modus operandi of the fraudsters and the steps being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.