India, Dec. 7 -- A 74-year-old Bengaluru resident has reported losing an astonishing Rs.80.5 lakh to a group of con artists who allegedly impersonated senior police officers and officials from the Reserve Bank of India. The elaborate ruse unfolded over several days, leaving both the man and his sister trapped in fear and confusion.

As per the complaint, the ordeal began on October 30 when the victim received a WhatsApp call from someone claiming to work for a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said a report by the NDTV. The caller confidently recited the elderly man's Aadhaar details and bank information, insisting that funds in his and his sister's accounts were linked to illegal transactions.

The fraudster "warned" that the RBI needed to ...