Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police Recover ₹53 Lakh for Victim of Cyber Fraud
Hyderabad, October 23, 2024: The Hyderabad City Cyber Crime Police successfully refunded ₹53,00,000 (Rupees fifty-three lakh) to an 84-year-old victim in connection with Cyber Crime Case No. 2230/2024. The elderly victim was defrauded of a large sum of money by cybercriminals impersonating officials from FedEx and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Case Details:
The victim, a Hyderabad resident, was approached via a WhatsApp video call by fraudsters posing as CBI officials. They falsely accused him of being involved in a ₹68 crore financial fraud case and threatened him with imprisonment. Fearing legal repercussions, the victim transferred ₹2,88,00,000 (Rupees two crore eighty-eight lakh) to various bank accounts as directed by the fraudsters.
Upon receiving the complaint, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police registered the case under Crime No. 2230/2024, invoking sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, and sections 308(2), 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2) of the Indian Penal Code (BNS).
Investigation and Recovery:
Inspector K. Prasada Rao, along with Police Constables D. Shekar, H. Shekar, S. Srinivas Reddy, and Woman Police Constable Kum Fouziya Begum, took immediate action. The team sent notices to the banks involved, requested the freezing of the fraudulent accounts, and guided the victim in filing a court petition to recover the funds.
As a result of their efforts, the Hon’ble Court ordered two banks—Axis Bank, Surat, and SBI, Kerala—to refund the amounts held in the fraudulent accounts. The police team followed up with the banks, leading to the successful transfer of ₹53,00,000 from Axis Bank, Surat, to the victim’s source account. The refund of an additional ₹50,00,000 from SBI, Kerala, is still pending.
Public Caution:
The Cyber Crime Police urge the public not to fall prey to such scams. Legitimate police officials do not make arrest threats via phone calls. Citizens should block such fraudulent callers and report incidents immediately using the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 or through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in. Quick reporting may increase the chances of recovering part of the lost amount.
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police encourage the public to follow their official social media handles for updates on cyber fraud prevention.
The operation was led by Inspector K. Prasada Rao, with support from PCs D. Shekar, H. Shekar, S. Srinivas Reddy, and WPC Kum Fouziya Begum, under the direct supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Dara Kavitha and ACP R.G. Siva Maruthi.
