An elderly couple in Beedi village, Belagavi district of Karnataka, India, has committed suicide after losing over N50 million to cyber fraud.
The India Police authority confirmed this ugly incident on March 28, 2025.
Media report says the deceased, identified as Diego Santan Nazareth (82) and his wife Flavia (79), were found dead in their home in Christian Galli.
Police say a two-page suicide note was discovered at the scene, detailing their ordeal.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhimashankar Guled confirmed the incident.
He stated that preliminary findings suggest the couple took their own lives due to financial distress caused by the scam.
“The bodies of the elderly couple were found inside their residence.
“Their suicide note indicates they were victims of cybercrime, losing more than Rs 50 lakh (over N50 million).
“The actual amount could be higher. We have begun investigating their bank accounts,” he said.
Investigations revealed that fraudsters, posing as Crime Branch officials, deceived the couple into believing that their personal details had been used in a crime.
The scammers then provided a fake contact number, which the victims called, thinking they were speaking with law enforcement.
They were subsequently coerced into transferring huge sums of money.
“The couple was emotionally devastated after realizing they had been defrauded.
“They made several attempts to reach the fraudsters through WhatsApp video calls, but their calls were ignored.
“Their last message read, ‘If you do not answer our calls, we will end our lives,’” SP Guled disclosed.
The police have launched an investigation into the case, which has been transferred to the Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police unit.
Officers have been deployed to various banks to retrieve financial records and track the suspects.
SP Guled urged the public to be vigilant against cyber fraud and report suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities.
“If they had informed us earlier, we could have helped them.
“This incident should serve as a warning for people to remain cautious about cyber threats,” he added.
Authorities have promised to intensify efforts in fighting cybercrime.
Financial institutions have been urged to strengthen cybersecurity measures and report any suspicious activities immediately.