In a disturbing case of cyber fraud, a woman teacher in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district lost Rs12.80 lakh after falling victim to a sophisticated impersonation scam. The accused posed as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Mumbai Crime Branch, coercing the victim into multiple money transfers.
The victim, Gargi Das, is an English teacher at the prestigious Mayo College Girls School. On August 25, 2024, she received a call from someone claiming to be a TRAI officer, who falsely threatened to disconnect her mobile number. Shortly after, she was contacted via WhatsApp video call by another fraudster impersonating a Mumbai Crime Branch officer.
The caller claimed an FIR for money laundering had been filed against her in Canada, and presented forged documents as “proof.” Terrified and under duress, Das was instructed not to speak to anyone and was coerced into transferring Rs12.80 lakh in four separate transactions.
Ajmer Circle Officer Hanuman Singh confirmed that an FIR was lodged on September 26, 2024, after the victim came forward. During the investigation, police traced a portion of the funds to a bank account belonging to Junja Ram alias Jeetu, a 23-year-old resident of Barmer. He was arrested from Jaipur.
The case is being treated as a government impersonation and extortion scam, a growing type of cybercrime targeting vulnerable individuals with fear-based tactics.
Police are continuing their investigation to identify other members of the gang and trace the remaining funds.
