Pune | Correspondent
At a time when cyber fraud incidents are on the rise across the country, a prominent local newspaper in Pune recently received a suspicious email promising $24.56 million USD (approximately ₹200 crores). The email, currently being discussed widely in media circles, is believed to be a classic case of international inheritance scam.
The target of this scam was “Dainik Aarambh Parv“, a local daily newspaper. The email was sent by a person claiming to be Mrs. Liu Xiuyun, an employee of the “Bank of China, Hong Kong”, attached to its Private Banking Services. In the email, she narrated a detailed story of a deceased investor who had no surviving next of kin and had deposited millions of dollars under her supervision.
She proposed that the newspaper’s representative should pose as the deceased’s “next of kin” and receive the funds, promising a 50-50 split once the money was transferred.
A Classic Case of Inheritance Scam
This type of fraud is commonly known as an Inheritance Scam, where scammers send emotionally charged stories about unclaimed wealth. Once trust is built, they ask for confidential personal information, bank details, and sometimes “processing fees” — only to disappear once the victim complies.
Newspaper Responded Swiftly
Dainik Aarambh Parv did not respond to the email and instead immediately reported the case to the Cyber Crime Branch. They also chose to publish this incident to raise awareness among the general public.
Public Advisory
-
Never trust unsolicited emails promising large sums of money from unknown sources.
-
Never share personal or banking details with strangers online.
-
Always mark such emails as spam and report them to cybercrime authorities.
Cyber Police Warn Citizens
An officer from the Pune Cyber Crime Cell stated:
“Such emails are often attempts to collect sensitive personal and financial information. Citizens must be cautious and report such messages promptly.”
