Bengaluru woman poses as cop, promises to help 75-year-old vendor recover wife's missing gold chain, collects Rs 40,000 over 3 months and flees after transferring Rs 1.6 lakh from his phone; he had been saving money for last rites

The fraud began when the woman, dressed in a police uniform, approached the elderly vendor in a busy market area and claimed she had special authority to recover lost valuables. She told the vendor that the missing gold chain, a family heirloom, could be traced through official channels if he paid a modest fee. Trusting her, the vendor handed over Rs 40,000 in installments over a period of three months, believing each payment brought the investigation closer to success.

During the final stage of the scam, the woman asked the vendor to install a mobile application on his phone, claiming it would allow her to track the chain's location. Once installed, she accessed his account and transferred Rs 1.6 lakh to her own bank account, citing a need to cover administrative costs. The vendor, who had been saving the money for his wife's last rites, realized he had been duped only after the woman disappeared from the market and could not be contacted.

Local police have opened an investigation and issued a public warning urging citizens to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a law‑enforcement officer. The case highlights the vulnerability of senior citizens to impersonation scams, especially in densely populated Indian cities where informal assistance is often sought. Readers across India are reminded to request official identification and to report suspicious behavior to authorities promptly.