In the latest instance of highly educated professionals falling prey to cyber scammers, the Vice Chancellor of Odisha’s Berhampur University was ensnared in ‘digital arrest’ and lost Rs 14 lakh to the cyber criminals.
The victim Geetanjali Dash at present working as Vice Chancellor, Berhampur University, reported at Cyber Police Station in Berhampur in this regard alleging that she was a victim of digital arrest scam, losing Rs 1.68 crore from his precious savings yesterday at around 9 pm.
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The Cyber Police, quoting the contents of the complaint, said she received a phone call from an unknown number on 12 February last.
The unknown person identified himself as an Enforcement Directorate (ED) Officer and accused her of involvement in an ED case.
The scammer threatened her with legal action saying that an account has been opened in her name at Canara Bank and crores of illegal money has been deposited in the account in her name. Later she was placed under digital arrest by the fraudsters.
The accused persons demanded an amount of Rs 14 lakhs from her for “release” which she obliged and sent the money through a bank cheque to the account of the fraudster.
A case has been registered in this connection and further investigation is underway, police added.
It may be recalled here that in December last the Cyber Crime Unit of Odisha Crime Branch arrested two scammers, who deceived a senior scientist from Odisha to the tune of Rs 1.68 crore in a digital arrest case.
