Hyderabad cybercrime police refunds over Rs. 21 lakhs to fraud victims

Hyderabad: The cybercrime Police in Hyderabad refunded a total of Rs. 21,55,331 (Twenty-one lakhs fifty-five thousand three hundred thirty-one rupees only) to victims in two separate cases of cyber fraud. The amounts refunded include Rs. 8,05,331 in Case No. 96/2024 and Rs. 13,50,000 in Case No. 1993/2024, where victims were deceived by cyber fraudsters posing as investment advisors promising substantial returns.

In Case No. 96/2024, a complaint was filed by a 67-year-old retired man from Hyderabad who reported being cheated by individuals impersonating fake officers from TRAI and CBI. The fraudsters convinced him to transfer Rs. 8,05,331 to bank accounts provided by them. Following this, the cybercrime police registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Similarly, in Case No. 1993/2024, a 56-year-old male victim reported being defrauded by cyber criminals who promised high returns on investments in NUVAMA Securities. He was tricked into transferring Rs. 13,50,000 to the fraudsters accounts, leading to the registration of a case.

Police investigation

Inspector K. Madhusudhan Rao led the investigation in Case No. 96/2024, while Inspector S. Naresh headed Case No. 1993/2024. Under the direct supervision of ACPs Shiva Maruthi and Chand Basha, the teams worked diligently, coordinating with bank officials to freeze the fraudulently acquired amounts. They also guided the victims in filing petitions for refunds.

Prompt court action resulted in orders from the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Eswaraiah of the XII ACMM Court, Nampally, allowing the return of Rs. 21,55,331 to the victims bank accounts.

Public advisory

The cybercrime police issued the following advisory to the public to prevent further incidents of fraud:

Avoid unauthorised and unknown investment platforms that promise high returns in a short period.
Do not invest in suspicious schemes or platforms.
Remain calm if you receive threatening video calls from individuals claiming to be police or government officials.
Refrain from installing unknown APKs or clicking suspicious links, especially on platforms like WhatsApp.
Victims of cyber fraud are encouraged to report incidents immediately to the helpline number 1930 or through the national Cyber Crime reporting portal at cybercrime.gov.in.
Reporting fraud promptly may increase the chances of recovering lost or frozen funds.