Kannur: An attempt at online fraud, where scammers posed as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers, was foiled by the quick thinking and composure of dance teacher KM Krishnan and Iritti Police SHO A Krishnankutti.
The fraudsters, pretending to be CBI officers, called Krishnan from a Pakistani number, claiming his daughter and three of her friends were in CBI custody for a drug-related case. The caller, introducing himself as an IG-rank CBI officer, initially spoke in Hindi but switched to English when Krishnan mentioned he did not understand Hindi. The scammer falsely claimed Krishnan’s daughter was innocent but framed in the case and, to make the lie more convincing use the correct names of his daughter and her friends.
"I could hear girls crying in the background, calling out 'Acha' and asking for help. They had set up a theatrical and convincing scene," Krishnan told Onmanorama. The caller first urged Krishnan to take a flight to Chennai to arrange for bail. When Krishnan expressed difficulty, the scammer changed tactics, asking him to pay Rs 2,500 to each of the 10 "CBI officers" handling the case.
However, after the initial shock, Krishnan collected himself. He disconnected the call and contacted his daughter, who confirmed that she and her friends were safe in Chennai. Realising the situation was a scam, Krishnan promptly approached the Iritti Police.
While on his way to the police station, Krishnan received several missed calls from the fraudsters, but he ignored them. Under SHO Krishnankutti’s guidance, Krishnan answered one of the calls, allowing the police to intervene. The SHO asked the scammers for their official credentials and requested a video call. When the fraudsters reluctantly agreed to a WhatsApp video call, they immediately turned off their camera, exposing their deceit. Sensing the police involvement, they quickly disconnected the call.
"We deal with numerous such cases. The public must remain vigilant and never send money based on such threatening calls," said SHO Krishnankutti. "These scams are highly organised and convincing. If anyone suspects foul play, they should contact the police immediately. Even after transferring money, they can call the toll-free number 1930 to stop further transactions."
The police urge citizens to report suspicious calls and verify claims with relevant authorities before taking any action.
