Digital Deception: The Rs 23 Crore Scam That Trapped a Retired Banker

Retired banker Naresh Malhotra found himself ensnared in a complex con that led to the loss of his entire life savings, totaling Rs 23 crore. The 78-year-old faced over a month of manipulation by fraudsters posing as officials from various agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate and CBI.

Malhotra received a deceptive call suggesting his Aadhaar card was linked to terror funding. This set off a chain of events where scammers, using fear tactics, coerced him into transferring money under the guise of verification. The criminals even went so far as to issue forged documents to maintain their ruse.

As the fraudulent demands intensified, Malhotra was kept under 'digital arrest,' making only essential trips to the bank to drain his accounts. The Delhi Police IFSO unit is now unraveling this intricate scam, having already frozen a significant sum of the stolen money in several bank accounts.

(With inputs from agencies.)