Digital arrest: How octogenarian in Hyderabad lost Rs 13 lakhs to fraudster posing as cop

Hyderabad: Here’s an example of a recent digital arrest in Hyderabad which shows how fraudsters target the most vulnerable.

An 80-year-old retired female employee from Hyderabad received a phone call from 8594000442. The person on the other end claimed to be from the TRAI department. The caller informed the victim that her SIM card and Aadhaar would be deactivated by 5 pm and provided another phone number before disconnecting the call.

Within 15 minutes, the victim received another call with the caller introducing himself as a sub-inspector of police from the Lucknow Police Station. He threatened the octogenarian, stating that the mobile number registered in her name was being misused for illegal advertisements and harassment by text messages, punishable under Section 67A of the IT Act and Sections 354A, 499, and 509 of the IPC.

The fraudster further alleged that the woman was involved in a money laundering case and that they were going to arrest her. The fraudster shared an FIR copy supposedly from the Lucknow Police Station, along with other documents said to be from TRAI in Lucknow, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of Uttar Pradesh via WhatsApp.

The fraudster insisted that the victim come to Lucknow, but she denied the allegations and explained that she was an elderly lady. The fraudster then claimed that he would verify all her bank accounts and send the investigation report to the ED and RBI. Out of fear, the victim disclosed her two bank account details to him.

The fraudster instructed the victim not to disclose the matter to anyone, stating that it was a national security issue, and asked her to deposit money in an ‘RBI account’ they would provide, promising that it would be refunded after verification.

In fear, the victim collected money from her son and grandson and made transfers to the numbers provided by the fraudster, totalling Rs 13.91 lakhs through PhonePe and RTGS. The fraudster further instructed the victim not to reveal the matter to anyone, claiming that she was under ‘digital arrest.’ On October 14, the victim received a message from an unknown person demanding an additional Rs 10 lakhs. At that point, the victim became suspicious, realising that she had been trapped and cheated. She then made an online complaint seeking help.

Public advisory

The case is an example of how fraudsters take advantage of our fears and profit from them. Here are tips to protect ourselves from such ‘digital arrests.’

- Don’t panic if receive any threatening video calls claiming them as to be CBI, RBI, ED, Customs, judges, cybercrime police, narcotics, FedEx, BSNL, TRAI etc.

- If a call raises suspicions, end the call immediately, without engaging further and report the call to a police station.

- No government agency or law enforcement officials will make such Skype calls and demand money to clear the issue.

- There is no provision for digital arrests in the legal system. Scammers can employ psychological tactics to manipulate emotions and decision-making.

- Do not deposit money into unknown bank accounts believing false promises of unknown persons. If you or anyone you know have fallen victim to cybercrime immediately call 1930 or register a case on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. You can also WhatsApp to 8712665171.