Pune, 23rd May 2026: Cyber crime cases continue to rise in the city, with three separate cases reported at Vishrambaug, Narhe and Kharadi police stations. Fraudsters cheated victims of nearly ₹61 lakh by using fear tactics, fake investment promises and bogus job offers.
In the first incident, a 43-year-old software engineer from Navi Peth lost ₹14 lakh after fraudsters posed as senior Mumbai Crime Branch officers. The scammers claimed that criminals had booked hotel rooms using her Aadhaar card and warned that she could face arrest in the case.
Frightened by the threats, the woman transferred money to multiple bank accounts to 'resolve' the matter. She later realized that the calls were fake and approached the Vishrambaug police station. Police Inspector Arun Ghodke is investigating the case.
In another case, a 32-year-old woman from Narhe was cheated of ₹25 lakh through a fake online investment scheme. The fraudsters contacted her on mobile phone and promised huge returns through stock market investments that could be managed from home.
Believing the scheme to be genuine, the woman made several online transfers over the past five months. However, she eventually discovered that the investment platform was fraudulent. A case has been registered at Narhe police station and Senior Police Inspector Asaram Shete is leading the investigation.
In the third incident, a resident of Rakshaknagar Gold Society in Kharadi lost ₹22 lakh after being promised a high-paying job at a reputed private company in Nagpur. The fraudsters collected money in the name of registration, document verification and processing charges.
When no appointment letter arrived, the victim realized he had been cheated and filed a complaint at Kharadi police station. Police Inspector Chandrasen Palakar is conducting further investigation.