Bihar Transporter Duped of ₹20 Lakh by Fraudsters Posing as Judge

The limits of cyber deception have been pushed further in Bihar as a transporter fell victim to a ₹20 lakh scam orchestrated by individuals impersonating a Patna High Court judge. The incident, which unfolded in Muzaffarpur, demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of administrative protocols by cybercriminals. By first targeting the Additional District Transport Officer (ADTO), the scammers established a layer of legitimacy. The officer, believing he was speaking to a legitimate member of the judiciary, provided the phone number of Uday Shankar Prasad Singh, the President of the Muzaffarpur Motor Federation, which allowed the scammers to bypass initial suspicion.

After securing the contact, the fake judge contacted Singh directly, requesting a substantial sum of money for an ‘urgent matter.’ The transporter, influenced by the ADTO’s involvement and the caller’s authoritative persona, complied with the demand. The financial transaction took place while Singh was traveling, adding to the complexity of the verification process. The scam reached its conclusion when the fraudsters vanished, disabling their communication lines once the ₹20 lakh had been secured. This prompted a frantic realization of the fraud, leading to an immediate report to the authorities.