Nagpur: A 76-year-old woman from Nagpur was allegedly cheated of ₹25.98 lakh by a cyber fraudster who posed as an ICICI Bank employee and promised to help her obtain a senior citizen card.

The fraud came to light after the woman discovered unauthorised transactions from her bank account. The incident reportedly occurred between 4 pm on August 14 and 9 pm on August 15.

According to the complaint filed by Shivani Mishra (76), a resident of Katol Road, an unidentified person contacted her using a mobile number and claimed to be an employee of ICICI Bank. The caller allegedly gained her confidence by offering to arrange a senior citizen card.

Police suspect that the fraudster subsequently gained access to the woman's mobile phone and banking information. The accused allegedly used the access to carry out unauthorised transactions from her ICICI Bank account.

Investigators said the fraudster also allegedly prematurely withdrew money from the woman's fixed deposit (FD). Several transactions were reportedly carried out, resulting in a total loss of ₹25,98,094.

After noticing the suspicious transactions, Mishra approached the Cyber Police and lodged a complaint.

Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Information Technology Act and sections relating to cheating, impersonation and forgery.

Investigators are now tracing the mobile number used by the suspect and examining the banking transactions and digital trail to identify the fraudster.

The case once again highlights the risks faced by senior citizens from fraudsters who impersonate bank officials and use fake service offers to gain access to victims' financial information.