• Victim: Darshan Singh (72), retired public sector bank employee from Moga, Punjab

• Loss: Around ₹43 lakh

• When: Scam began in August 2024; continued for nearly a year

• Modus Operandi:

  • Fraudsters posed as customs officials and later as CBI officers.

  • Claimed a parcel with passports and drugs was intercepted at Delhi airport using his mobile number.

  • Put him under so-called “digital arrest” via continuous WhatsApp video calls.

  • Threatened FIRs, arrest warrants, and to implicate his children unless he “settled” the case.

• How money was taken:

  • Sought details of bank accounts, post office deposits, mutual funds, shares and property.

  • Made him transfer money via RTGS from multiple accounts, including liquidation of investments.

  • Even sent a fake notarised certificate to gain trust.

• Trigger to realise fraud:

  • Asked him to call 1930 (national cybercrime helpline); he later learnt it was genuine and realised the scam.

• Police action:

  • FIR registered at Cyber Crime Police Station, Moga against unidentified persons.

  • Sections invoked: 318(4) (fraud), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) IPC, and 66D IT Act (cheating by impersonation).

Police advisory (implied):

• No law enforcement agency conducts investigations or arrests over phone/video calls.

• Never share banking/investment details or transfer money on such threats.