The victims were cheated by cyber fraudsters under the pretext of investment in trading, promising substantial profits.
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police refunded Rs 21,55,331 to victims in two cases: Rs 8,05,331 in Cr No 96/2024 and Rs 13,50,000 in Cr No 1993/2024.
The victims in these two cases were cheated by cyber fraudsters under the pretext of investment in trading, being promised substantial profits.
In Cr No 96/2024, the police received a complaint from a 67-year-old retired man in Hyderabad who said that he was deceived by individuals posing as fake TRAI and CBI officers. They coerced him into transferring Rs 8,05,331 to bank accounts provided by the impersonators. In response, the Cyber Crime Police in Hyderabad registered a case and initiated an investigation.
The police soon sent notices to bank officials requesting the freezing of the accounts of the fraudsters, and guided the complainants in filing petitions for refunds of the amounts held in those accounts.
In another case, Cr No 1993/2024, a complaint was received from a 56-year-old man who reported being scammed by fraudsters claiming to represent NUVAMA Securities. They promised significant profits, and convinced him to transfer Rs 13,50,000 to their bank accounts. The Cyber Crime Police registered this case here too and took up investigation.
Within a few days, the police received court orders from Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Eswaraiah of the XII ACMM Court in Nampally, Hyderabad, directing the return of Rs 21,55,331 to the complainants' bank accounts (the sum of the amounts swindled in the two cases).
Dara Kavitha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Unit, Hyderabad, urged the public not to trust unauthorized and unknown platforms promising huge returns in a short time. She also advised individuals not to panic if they receive threatening video calls from individuals claiming to be police, CBI, RBI, ED, customs officials, judges or narcotics agents. Reporting such incidents immediately increased the chances of recovering at least part of the lost amount, she said. Victims of cyber fraud can report incidents by calling the helpline number 1930 or through the national cyber crime reporting portal at cybercrime.gov.in.