DIGITAL arrest fraud
Adapting to the new advancements in digital technology, crooks are devising newer lesser risky methods to dupe gullible people. One such new method is digital arrest. The fraudsters contact gullible people in garb of law enforcement issues and then using video conferencing apps pressurise the victim to transfer huge amount of funds to them. Read on to know and be aware about such frauds, preventive steps, online helpline and more…
What is digital arrest?
Cybercriminals steal personal information from ordinary citizens and use it to impersonate police officers, court officials, or representatives from central agencies (such as the CBI, ED, Narcotics, etc.). They create a sense of fear about prosecution and arrest. Based on this fear, common citizens are coerced into remitting money. This process, from intimidation to payment, effectively results in what is known as a “digital arrest”.
Modus Operandi:
Cyber criminals will contact victims by phone calls, email or text message posing as officers of law enforcement agencies like CBI, police, customs or income tax. They will claim that the victim is under investigation, or an arrest warrant has been issued against him or her. They may also claim that the victim is involved in illegal activities, like financial misconduct, tax evasion, or other legal violations. They will threaten or intimidate to force victim into transferring money to the specified accounts or UPI ids. They may claim that this money is for “clearing their name”, “assisting with the investigation”, or refundable security deposit. To convince the victim, the scammers may create a fake police station or government office-like set-up and show it through video-conferencing apps. After the money is transferred, the scammers will disappear causing financial loss to the victim.
Case Study:
A police complaint has been lodged at Bavdhan police station under Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate in Pune district by a 39-year old woman residing in Sus village and working for a New Delhi-based tech company, that cyber crooks impersonating as Mumbai crime branch officials duped her of Rs 43.49 lakh. She received a phone call on 4 December, 2024 from someone posing as a courier official informing that her Aadhar details were used for money laundering and trying to send drugs to Iran. After the woman denied any wrongdoing, the caller connected her to a man claiming to be Mumbai police crime branch officer.
She was instructed to download an app and connect through video call under the pretext of verifying her bank transactions. During the call, the fraudster collected her bank details and directed her to apply for a pre-approved loan of Rs. 30 lakh. Under the pretext of bank verification, the video call continued for more than an hour and she followed the instructions. The fraudster abruptly disconnected the call after which she realised that she has been duped. She lost the Rs 30 lakh of the pre-approved loan, Rs 7 lakh from her savings account and Rs 6.49 lakh from premature closure of her fixed deposits. Anil Vibhute, police inspector, Bavdhan police station when contacted said that the investigations are in progress.
The people who have lost money in cybercrimes must first call 1930 or lodge a complaint on www.cybercrime.gov.in and then contact the nearest cyber police station for quicker action.
PREVENTIVE STEPS
- If one has installed a caller identifier app then you can verify whether the caller is genuine or spammer
- No state or central investigation agency ever calls anyone and demands money for not taking action against anyone.
- Do not give or send any of your bank details, Aadhar card, PAN card, photo, address, debit / credit card details to unknown people
- Avoid excessive interaction with such unknown people as they will pressurise you more to dupe