Baripada, March 20: A pregnant woman from Dhanaghera village under Udala police limits has fallen victim to a cyber fraud, losing ₹40,000 after being deceived by a caller posing as an Anganwadi official.

According to reports, the victim, identified as Shakuntala Behera, received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as a senior officer from the Anganwadi department and inquired whether she was receiving eggs and chhatua on time.

During the conversation, the caller asked for her bank account details on the pretext of verifying benefits. Trusting the caller, the woman shared the information. Shortly afterwards, she discovered that ₹40,000 had been fraudulently withdrawn from her account.

The incident highlights a new modus operandi adopted by cyber criminals to target beneficiaries of welfare schemes. Following the fraud, the victim has lodged a complaint at Udala police station, and an investigation is underway.