Rajkot: Retired Teacher Duped of ₹76 Lakh in Shocking Cyber Fraud

A retired schoolteacher from Rajkot lost her life savings of ₹76 lakh in a sophisticated cyber fraud, highlighting the growing threat faced by elderly citizens. The victim, 63-year-old Kusumben Gajjar, was first contacted by fraudsters in May who posed as officials from a popular courier company and later as Mumbai police officers.

The criminals told Gajjar that a parcel containing illegal items, including fake passports and drugs, had been sent from her bank account and that her identity was under investigation for money laundering. They then pressured her with threats of legal action unless she cooperated with their “investigation.” Terrified, the retired teacher was convinced to transfer her hard-earned savings into several bank accounts provided by the fraudsters, allegedly for verification purposes.

Over the next few days, under the pretext of clearing her name, Gajjar followed all their instructions. By the time she realized she had been duped, the fraudsters had siphoned off a staggering ₹76 lakh from her accounts.

This case has left local police alarmed and they have launched a detailed investigation to trace the perpetrators. Authorities are urging citizens, especially seniors, to remain vigilant against such scams, advising never to share personal or banking details over the phone and to always verify the identity of callers claiming to be from official agencies.

The alarming incident underscores the need for greater cyber awareness and caution, serving as a wake-up call for everyone to stay alert and protect themselves from evolving online frauds.