Hyderabad: A 79-year-old resident of Domalguda became the victim to a CBI impersonation and extortion scam.
On July 6, 2025, the victim received a call from an individual claiming to be Vijay Khanna, a CBI officer, calling from Colaba police station. The fraudster falsely alleged that a bank account on the victim’s name at a nationalized bank at Colaba branch was involved in a money laundering case connected to an accused named Naresh Goel.
They intimidated the victim by claiming the investigation was being conducted under the orders of the Supreme Court, even shared forged documents like court orders and CBI warrants (FIR No. MH/15621/0225), to gain trust.
The victim was warned not to disclose the matter to anyone, citing national security and involvement of high-profile individuals. Manipulated by fear and deception, the victim disclosed his bank account details and was instructed to transfer his funds for verification, with a false promise that the amount would be returned. Over the course of ten days, the victim transferred a total of Rs.35.74 lakh to accounts provided by the fraudsters.
Another person, posing as Ayush Gupta as an investigation officer also pressurized the victim into making transfers. Eventually, after being falsely assured that his name was cleared from the suspect list and instructed to collect his money from the nearest crime branch, the victim approached the cybercrime police station, Hyderabad, and discovered he had been defrauded.
In an advisory, the police said the CBI or police will never call to inform about the arrest of individuals and there is no such thing as digital arrest. No law enforcement agency will ask to transfer money for verification or investigation.
Cybercriminals are posing as officials from the CBI, police departments, or government agencies and falsely claiming that the bank account is involved in money laundering or financial crimes. They may share fake documents like CBI warrants, FIRs, or even forged Supreme Court orders to create fear and gain trust.
“Do not share your bank account details, OTP, or personal information over phone calls. Verify the identity of any caller claiming to be a government officer through official contact numbers. Do not act out of fear or secrecy — consult family members or local police immediately,” the police said.
Never transfer money to unknown individuals or accounts based on verbal threats or unofficial instructions. This scam is designed to create fear and exploit senior citizens emotionally and financially. Awareness and prompt reporting are key to preventing further victimization.
The police asked the people to preserve all communication, including messages, call records, and transaction proofs. Victims of cybercrime fraud can immediately dial 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in. In case of any emergency of cyber frauds please call or WhatsApp 8712665171.
