The 80-year-old victim’s late husband was a former joint secretary in the ministry of external affairs. She was targeted by fraudsters posing as officials from central investigating agencies, such as the Enforcement Directorate and CBI. The cons claimed the elderly woman had links with terror agencies. Over the course of the month, the woman transferred Rs 1.4 crore from her fixed deposits and mutual funds to various fraudulent bank accounts. The scheme unravelled when she approached her sister-in-law’s son — a banker — for paperwork on Nov 26. When he noticed discrepancies in the application, he questioned the woman, causing her to reveal her month-long ordeal. A case was registered for cheating and fraud at Cyber police station (east). The authorities have also frozen the bank accounts where the fraudulent transfers were made. However, even after the investigation was initiated, the scammers continue to contact the victim, enquiring about her well-being. She temporarily deflected their calls by claiming to be in hospital.
