'Your PF is with CBI now': Mumbai man loses Rs 1.4 crore after falling for 18-month scam involving fake CBI, EPFO officials

A former state government employee was cheated out of Rs 1.4 crore by cyber scammers who tricked him into believing he was dealing with an official from the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). The 73-year-old victim made payments over one and a half years before realising the documents he received were fake, according to a report by TOI.

How the scam unfolded

The complainant, who lives with his family in Andheri, received a call in May 2023 from a man claiming to be Alok Mehta of the EPFO, New Delhi. Mehta told him that his provident fund dues were pending and that he could claim them after paying Rs 7,230 as security charges.

After paying the amount, the victim received a letter via WhatsApp that appeared official, complete with a Government of India seal. The letter promised Rs 63.08 lakh in PF dues if he paid Rs 3.8 lakh. Convinced by the letter’s authenticity, the complainant continued communication with Mehta and two others, Sunita Tiwari and Chakraborty, who also claimed to represent EPFO.

Over the next ten months, they persuaded him to transfer Rs 60 lakh under various false pretexts.

The CBI connection and further payments

In March 2024, the complainant was contacted by a woman calling herself Mahi Sharma, who claimed to be an officer with the CBI’s Mumbai office. Sharma told him that Mehta had been arrested by the CBI for misappropriation of funds, and that the complainant’s PF file was now under CBI scrutiny.

Sharma assured him his dues would be paid after the investigation and sent him a cheque for the PF amount. However, she warned him to pay 30% tax and additional fees for a no-objection certificate, as the PF amount exceeded one crore. The complainant continued making payments as instructed until November 2024.

When he tried to encash the cheque, he was told it was counterfeit. Realising he had been duped, the victim approached the police.

Police action and investigation

The West Cyber Police registered an FIR on May 28 and have launched an investigation. Authorities are now probing the bank accounts into which the fraudulent payments were transferred.

Inputs from TOI