Mumbai: A 36-year-old female lawyer in Mumbai became the latest victim of a sophisticated cyber scam, where she was coerced into undressing at a hotel and transferring ₹50,000 to the scammers, who later sent her nude photos demanding even more money.
The incident began on Wednesday afternoon when the woman received a call informing her that an FIR had been filed against her in connection with a case involving Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal.
The scammers used fear and urgency, telling her that her name had been linked to a financial scandal involving Goyal, who had recently been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and was now out on bail.
Posing as officials, the fraudsters told the woman that a confidential investigation was necessary and that it would be better for her to meet at a neutral location instead of visiting a police station.
She was instructed to go to a hotel in Powai, where a female "officer" asked her to undress under the pretext of checking for injuries or hidden weapons. The scammers then manipulated her into transferring ₹50,000 from her bank account.
As the situation progressed, the lawyer grew suspicious and promptly approached the Powai Police Station. However, the criminals retaliated by sending her nude photos they had captured during the hotel encounter and demanded more money.
The police revealed that the first call she received came from someone claiming to be an official from TRAI, who threatened her by saying her SIM card had been linked to a money laundering case and would soon be blocked.
In her complaint, the lawyer mentioned that after the initial call, she received a second one from someone claiming to be from the Powai Cyber Cell. This individual posed as a police officer and advised her to visit the hotel to avoid arrest.
In fear of being detained, she booked a room at the hotel and went there, unaware that she was being set up. Throughout the scam, she was threatened to keep the matter confidential.
Powai Police are now actively investigating the case and are tracking the bank account where the ₹50,000 was transferred.