In a disturbing new scheme, cybercriminals have exploited the tragic 2019 Pulwama terror attack to extort money from a 29-year-old IT professional in Hyderabad. The woman, who lives in Gachibowli, fell victim to a scam that resulted in her losing Rs 2 lakh after the fraudsters threatened her with a seven-year prison sentence and a hefty fine of Rs 20 lakh, alleging that her financial accounts were connected to the attackers responsible for the incident that resulted in the deaths of 44 CRPF personnel.
The ordeal began when the victim received a call from an unidentified number, claiming that a parcel addressed to her had been returned to a FedEx facility in Mumbai due to suspicions of illegal activity. The caller further asserted that her Aadhaar and phone number had been misused to send the parcel from Mumbai to Singapore. When she denied any involvement with Mumbai, the caller directed her to a supposed representative from the “Mumbai crime branch,” who requested her Aadhaar details. The situation escalated when the scammers, posing as officials from the Aadhaar Card department, falsely informed her that her Aadhaar ID was linked to several bank accounts implicated in money laundering. They intensified the pressure by claiming that an MLA was involved in the case and that her accounts were tied to terror funding related to the Pulwama attack.
To further manipulate the victim, the criminals produced forged documents to convince her that she was under investigation for serious offenses, including money laundering.
“They threatened her with seven years in prison and a fine of Rs 20 lakh if she did not comply with their ‘investigation,’” stated a Cyberabad police official. Under immense pressure, the victim transferred funds to two bank accounts located in Mumbai and Delhi.
The Cyberabad police have since initiated an investigation into the matter, with preliminary findings indicating that the money was indeed sent to accounts in those cities. “We are actively tracking the perpetrators,” a police officer confirmed, while cybercrime officials have urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams.
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