A 54-year-old man from Maharashtra’s Thane city became the victim of an elaborate online scam, losing Rs 59 lakh after being coerced by fraudsters who posed as Customs and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers. The scam unfolded between November 26 and December 2, with the victim duped into transferring the money to the scammers under the threat of legal action.

According to police reports, the victim first received a phone call from an individual claiming to be a Customs officer based in Delhi. The caller told the man that a parcel addressed to him had been intercepted and that it contained drugs. The scammer then alleged that the matter was being referred to the CBI for further investigation. He told the victim to cooperate with the investigation and connect with a CBI officer.