A 76-year-old woman from Sector 41 in Noida fell prey to a sophisticated cyber scam and lost ₹43.70 lakh over a span of 26 days. The fraudsters, impersonating law enforcement officials, falsely accused her of being linked to terrorist activities, including the April 21 Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives.

The incident began on July 18, when Sarla Devi, a retired corporate professional, received a call on her landline. The caller posed as an executive from a telecom company and informed her that her phone number and identity were being misused in illegal activities. She was soon connected to another person, who introduced himself as an officer from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

Terrorism Allegations Used as Psychological Pressure

According to the FIR lodged on August 31, Sarla Devi was shown a WhatsApp video and told that a mobile number registered in her name in Mumbai’s Byculla area was being used for funding terrorism, hawala operations, drug trafficking, and online gambling. The scammers even claimed her bank accounts were involved in financial transactions linked to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Frightened and confused, the elderly woman was informed that an arrest warrant had been issued in her name and that she would be taken into custody unless she cooperated with the “investigation.” The fraudsters demanded that she deposit a “security amount,” which would be returned after her name was cleared.

“She told me that she was connecting me to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, who will explain and from whom I shall need to obtain a Clearance Certificate,” reads her first information report lodged at the cybercrime branch on August 31.

Forced to Transfer Life Savings

Between July 20 and August 13, Sarla Devi was coerced into making eight separate payments via QR codes and RTGS transfers. The smallest transaction was ₹70,000, while the highest was ₹11 lakh. The total amount transferred reached ₹43.70 lakh. The payments were made to accounts held by individuals and small business entities, including names like Varinder Pal Singh, Madan Kumar, Manju General Store, and Ashapura Tea Stall.

The psychological manipulation and continuous threats led to what police are now calling a case of “digital arrest”, where a victim is kept under mental pressure through phone and video calls for extended periods. “There is an arrest warrant in my name because there are four bank accounts in Mumbai in my name, which are being used in Hawala, drug trafficking, online gambling, including funding to terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack from these accounts,” the victim alleged in the FIR.

Help from Advocate Ends Ordeal

The fraud escalated when the scammers pressured her to make an additional ₹15 lakh payment, warning of imminent arrest. At this point, Sarla Devi approached a neighbour, who happened to be a lawyer. Upon learning the details, the advocate quickly recognised it as a scam and advised her to stop making payments and report the matter to the police.

Sarla Devi filed a formal complaint with the Cyber Crime Unit of Noida Police. Investigators are now tracking the financial trail and suspect a larger fraud network at play. “We are examining the bank accounts and digital footprints left by the fraudsters,” said SHO Ranjeet Singh of the cybercrime branch.

“On the pretext of a security deposit and promising to return the money after investigation, the cybercriminals forced her to transfer all of her savings. In eight transactions through RTGS, the woman was duped of ₹43.70 lakh,” said cybercrime branch SHO Ranjeet Singh.

Rise in Targeted Scams Against Elderly

Officials noted that such scams are increasingly targeting senior citizens, who may not be tech-savvy and are more vulnerable to fear-based manipulation. Police have urged the public to be alert and consult with family or legal professionals before making any financial transactions based on such claims.

Sarla Devi, now recovering from the traumatic experience, has requested that the authorities recover her money and bring the culprits to justice.