Gujarat Techie Duped of Rs 65 Lakh in ‘Parcel Scam’ in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: A 41-year-old software developer from Anandnagar was defrauded of Rs 65.52 lakh by an unknown individual who claimed that a parcel sent by him contained five passports and 200 grams of drugs, police said on Sunday. 

Police said that in his complaint to the Anandnagar police, the victim explained that he received a call on his mobile phone where the caller told him that a parcel addressed to him had been sent to Taiwan, containing five passports, Rs 35,000 in cash, and 200 grams of drugs.

"They made me believe that I was under surveillance and instructed me to stay in a hotel for a few days without communicating with any family members at home. They warned me that if I didn't comply, they would arrest me," read the complaint. 

Man Duped of Rs 65 Lakh in Parcel Scam

According to the victim, he was staying at a hotel in Ahmedabad when fraudsters posing as cops threatened him with arrest if he took any action. They instructed him to remain inside the hotel for several more days.

Police said that an unidentified person called the victim and assured him that if he cooperated, the investigation would be completed within two days. 

“The accused also threatened to freeze his account and persuaded him to transfer 98% of his funds to their account, claiming the money would be returned after the investigation. However, when he failed to return home, his family tracked him to the hotel and later discovered that he had fallen victim to cyber fraud,” cops said.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway in the matter.

Also Read: Elderly Man Duped of Rs 72.98 Lakh in Share Trading Fraud

Meanwhile, in a coordinated effort, the Military Intelligence (MI) unit of the Army's Southern Command and Pune City Police successfully arrested an individual involved in a fraudulent Army recruitment scheme. 

The accused, identified as Suryawanshi Nitin Balaji from Latur district, was apprehended near the Southern Command headquarters in Pune on Saturday, according to a senior Pune Police official.

Police authorities revealed that Suryawanshi targeted aspiring candidates from economically weaker backgrounds in Maharashtra and Karnataka, falsely promising them recruitment into the Army.