Navi Mumbai: A 70-year-old resident of Koparkhairane fell prey to a ‘digital arrest’ scam, losing Rs 12.50 lakh to cyber fraudsters impersonating CBI officers and courier agency staff.
The fraud reportedly began when the victim received a call from a man named Amit Kumar, who claimed to be from a courier agency. He informed the senior citizen that a parcel in his name had been seized at Mumbai airport. The caller alleged that the package contained 140 grams of narcotics, eight passports, a laptop and 4 kg of clothes.
Shortly after, the victim received a WhatsApp call from another individual identifying himself as Vijay Pal, along with two others who claimed to be CBI officers. The fraudsters accused the victim of being involved in illegal activities and threatened him with legal action.
Using fear tactics, they manipulated him into a state of ‘digital arrest’, a scam where victims are isolated from their families and pressured into compliance. The terrified senior citizen, believing the fraudsters’ claims, followed their instructions and transferred Rs 12.50 lakh to various bank accounts.
Audumbar Patil, Senior Inspector of Koparkhairane police station, confirmed the case and stated that an investigation is underway to track down the fraudsters, reported Times of India. He also urged citizens to remain vigilant and report such suspicious calls to the authorities immediately.
What Is Digital Arrest?
‘Digital arrest’ is a rising cyber fraud tactic where scammers pose as law enforcement or government officials, using audio/video calls to intimidate victims. They falsely claim the victim is involved in illegal activities, such as narcotics smuggling or money laundering and threaten legal action. By isolating victims and creating panic, they coerce them into transferring large sums of money under the pretense of avoiding arrest or prosecution.
