Hyderabad: UK Woman Scammed by Fake CBI, Delhi Police Officers

A 44-year-old woman from the United Kingdom, in Hyderabad on vacation, was defrauded of Rs 13.29 lakh in a case involving impersonation of law enforcement officers, police said on Friday.

According to investigators, the woman—temporarily residing in the city and employed in the private sector—was contacted by a caller claiming affiliation with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). 

The call originated from an Indian number and included allegations that her phone number was being misused to circulate offensive messages and illegal advertisements.

When the woman denied the accusations, she was instructed to speak with another individual, introduced as a cybercrime officer from Delhi Police. The conversation took place over a WhatsApp video call.

Authorities revealed that during the call, the fraudster alleged her Aadhaar number had been misused to open a bank account at HDFC Bank, which was allegedly tied to money laundering and human trafficking activities. 

The caller warned that she could be taken into custody unless she complied with verification steps.

Soon after, the victim received another video call from a man claiming to be a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer. The impersonator demanded that she display her Aadhaar card and refrain from disclosing the call to anyone. To lend credibility to the claim, the caller shared a fake CBI letterhead and issued threats of legal action.

Under duress, and fearing arrest, the woman followed instructions to transfer funds to multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. She was told that the payment was necessary for verification and that she would receive official documentation confirming she had no connection to the alleged crimes.

In total, the woman transferred Rs 13,29,999. Once the transactions were completed, all contact from the impersonators ceased. Subsequent attempts to reconnect through WhatsApp and regular phone calls were unsuccessful, with some numbers unreachable or showing as inactive.

A complaint was registered online, following which the Hyderabad cybercrime police initiated a case. Officials confirmed that an investigation is currently in progress to identify those behind the fraud.