Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar warned citizens against cyber fraud after three victims lost ₹5.35 crore in separate incidents reported on Monday. He stressed that public awareness and caution remained essential to preventing financial losses caused by increasingly deceptive online scams.
The commissioner said police continued to work towards protecting citizens’ hard-earned money from cybercriminals. However, he emphasised that residents must verify suspicious communications and avoid making financial decisions under pressure.
In one case, a company accountant transferred ₹2.70 crore after receiving fraudulent WhatsApp messages impersonating the company’s CEO. The accountant also opened an unknown ZIP file without verifying the messages’ authenticity.
According to the police account, the fraud continued for nearly eight days. Meanwhile, the CEO failed to check bank transaction alerts despite the diversion of funds during that period.
Separately, a 72-year-old woman lost ₹2.12 crore after fraudsters threatened her with money laundering allegations. They invoked the names of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to intimidate her.
The criminals kept the woman under a so-called digital arrest for 20 days. They also pressured her to sell her gold, adding to the financial harm caused by the deception.
In another case, a doctor who had returned to Hyderabad after working abroad lost ₹52.51 lakh. The doctor invested through a fraudulent trading app after seeing Instagram advertisements promising daily returns of 5% to 20%.
The commissioner noted that educational qualifications alone could not protect people from online investment scams. Therefore, he urged citizens to exercise financial prudence and reject unrealistic promises of guaranteed or exceptionally high returns.
Hyderabad cyber fraud cases highlight digital arrest risks
Sajjanar clarified that Indian law does not recognise the concept of digital arrest. He also stated that legitimate investigative agencies do not demand money from citizens through online calls or messages.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad Police continued to spread awareness through media reports, social media posts, press conferences and public advisories. The commissioner urged people to independently verify messages from strangers claiming to be senior government or law enforcement officials.
He also called on families to monitor the emotional well-being of elderly relatives and provide support when they encounter threatening calls. In addition, he urged banks to strengthen safeguards against suspicious transactions involving large amounts transferred in instalments.
Banks should promptly alert account holders when their systems detect unusual financial activity, the commissioner said. Commercial establishments, in particular, should regularly monitor bank SMS alerts to identify unauthorised transactions at the earliest opportunity.
Hyderabad Police reported conducting 11,417 awareness sessions under the special drive Jagrut Hyderabad – Surakshit Hyderabad over one year. The campaign directly educated approximately 5.06 lakh people during that period.
Sajjanar urged citizens to follow basic cyber safety practices in their daily lives. He warned people against opening suspicious links or files received from unknown sources.
Citizens should also refuse to comply with threats of digital arrest and avoid enticing stock market advertisements. Businesses must remain alert to transaction notifications and verify unusual requests before transferring money.
Anyone who falls victim to cyber fraud should act immediately rather than lose hope. Victims should call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint through cybercrime.gov.in during the crucial golden hour.
The commissioner reiterated that police remained committed to helping victims and curbing cybercrime. He stressed that public vigilance and timely reporting could help prevent further losses.