An Ahmedabad police inspector lost around ₹5.4 lakh after fraudsters posing as company officials allegedly convinced her that she was entitled to a much larger refund and maturity payout, according to a report by The Times of India. The scammers used details of her existing policies to make their claims appear credible before repeatedly asking her to transfer money.
The 45-year-old inspector, posted with the Civil Defence Home Guards, approached Gujarat University police after she realised that the demands for additional payments were part of a fraud, the report said.
How the insurance fraud unfolded
The incident began on 11 August when the woman received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the Delhi headquarters of an insurance company and referred to details of two policies held by her, according to The Times of India.
The caller allegedly told her that an agent had filed a claim for 80% of the policy amount. He then offered to register a complaint on her behalf and sent her an acknowledgement number.
A second caller subsequently introduced himself as a manager. He allegedly told the inspector that she had paid ₹10.8 lakh in premiums and had accumulated ₹8.7 lakh in interest. She was promised ₹19.5 lakh if the policies were closed.
The catch was an upfront processing payment of ₹99,227. She transferred the amount in instalments through a QR code and bank transfers, the report said.
More payment demands raised suspicion
The fraudsters later demanded another ₹4.4 lakh, allegedly towards GST, promising that the amount would be refunded. The inspector transferred ₹50,000 through a QR code and ₹3.9 lakh through two transactions on 19 and 20 August, according to the report.
On 24 August, another caller allegedly told her that the policy value had increased to ₹24.9 lakh. She was then asked to keep ₹5.1 lakh in an insurance e-account before the payout could be released.
That additional demand raised suspicion. She contacted the cybercrime helpline on 25 August and later filed a police complaint.
What insurance policyholders should remember
The case highlights a key warning sign in insurance-related fraud: a caller knowing your policy details does not establish that the caller is genuine. Fraudsters can use personal and policy information to create credibility before asking victims to make payments.
Policyholders should independently contact their insurer using the customer-care number or other contact details available on the company’s official website or policy documents. They should be particularly cautious if someone asks them to pay “processing charges”, GST, verification fees or other amounts before releasing an insurance payout.
Requests to scan a QR code or transfer money to an unfamiliar bank account should also be treated as red flags.
Anyone who suspects an online financial should immediately contact their bank and report the incident through the national cybercrime helpline at 1930.