Cons trap LDA clerk on wedding anniv, put her under digi arrest for a month | Lucknow News
Lucknow: A woman clerk working with the Lucknow Development Authority was allegedly duped of Rs 23 lakh by cyber fraudsters who exploited her wedding anniversary to lure her into a fake gift delivery trap and then put her under “digital arrest” for nearly a month. The woman’s ordeal began on Nov 28, her wedding anniversary, when a WhatsApp caller claiming to be an NRI named “Manoj” offered to send her a gift. Though she declined, a second caller posing as a courier agent soon demanded Rs 10,000 to “return” the parcel. The payment proved to be the first link in a psychological chain.
Within hours, the caller’s tone turned menacing. Another caller introduced himself as an officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation, alleging that the parcel contained objectionable material and warning that her arrest was imminent. From that moment, police said, victim was kept under constant virtual watch—through WhatsApp calls, video calls and messages—fed legal jargon, shown fake authority, and threatened with jail, criminal cases and harm to her husband and children.Between Nov 29 and Dec 22, the fraudsters coerced her into transferring money to multiple bank accounts. Terrified and isolated, she sold jewellery and borrowed from relatives, ultimately losing Rs 23.33 lakh. She was even made to open a fresh bank account on Dec 17—yet the extortion continued.The spell finally broke on Dec 23 when she told the callers she would inform her husband. Their evasive response during a call with him exposed the deception.An FIR was registered at the cyber crime police station on Dec 24. “This is a rare case of digital arrest, where the victim was mentally imprisoned through fear and impersonation,” said Brajesh Yadav, adding that the money trail is being meticulously traced.Police have warned citizens that no investigative agency conducts arrests or investigations over WhatsApp or video calls—and fear is the fraudsters’ most powerful weapon.
