Explainer: Rise in Digital Arrest Scams – If You Receive Such a Call, Report Immediately To 1930 

New Delhi (Vishvas News). “Hello, I am Inspector Vijay from Kotwali. What is your son’s name? We have arrested him on rape charges. If you want him released, transfer money to this account.” This is a common script used in fraudulent calls that many mobile users get trapped in. Once someone falls for the scam, they are kept under surveillance via video call until the money is transferred. Scammers often pose as CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) officers, police officers, or representatives from courier companies. Driven by fear, victims often transfer big amounts of money. Such cases are called digital arrest scams.

What is digital arrest?

According to the information given on the Bank of India website, ‘digital house arrest’ is a cyber scam where fraudsters impersonate police, CBI, or customs officers and virtually hold the victims hostage in their homes and keep them under live digital surveillance through video calls. The scammers intimidate the victims by threatening that they are under investigation for a serious crime. To manipulate them further, the fraudsters create a fake police station setup and threaten legal action or arrest, pursuing them to transfer money to avoid any fabricated consequences. 

Modus Operandi

On May 14, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a press release via PIB advising to be cautious about rising cyber crimes like ‘digital arrest’. According to the press release, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) has received numerous complaints about threats, blackmail, extortion and ‘digital arrest’ by cyber criminals posing as police officers and other law enforcement agencies, such as CBI, Narcotics Department, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), or Enforcement Directorate (ED).. These fraudsters often inform that the victim that a parcel belonging to them contains illegal goods, such as drugs, fake passports, or any other prohibited item.

In some cases, they claim that a loved one of the victim is involved in a crime or accident and is under custody and demandmoney to settle the ‘case’. In some cases, the victims are subjected to ‘digital arrest’ where they are kept under surveillance through video conferencing platforms like Skype until their demands are met. The fraudsters often create convincing setups resembling police stations and government offices to intimidate the victims.

Case study 

A report published by the Times of India on May 16, 2024, reads, “A 73-year-old senior citizen in Bengaluru was duped of Rs 3.8 crore by fraudsters. The victim received a call on the morning of May 5, 2024. The man introduced himself as an executive of FedEx Logistics and shared the victim’s Aadhaar and mobile number. He claimed that a parcel had arrived in the victim’s name from Taiwan, containing five passports, a laptop, some clothes, and 150 grams of MDMA (drugs).”

The caller then informed the victim that a case had been filed against him st  Andheri West Cyber Police Station and transferred the call to someone claiming to be Rajesh Pradhan, DCP of Andheri Cyber Crime, who informed the victim that he was under ‘digital arrest’ until the investigation was completed. He threatened him with immediate arrest if he left his house. The was asked asked to lock himself in his room. 

Later, during the video call, the scammer showed a background  resembling a police station in the background to threaten the victim. The fraudster also falsely claimed that a bank account in the victim’s name was involved in money laundering. To settle the matter, he pursued the victim to transfer 3.8 crores in installments, promising that the money would be returned 30 minutes after the investigation. 

Later, DCP (East) Kuldeep Kumar Jain stated “In the Rs 3.8 crore fraud case, the victim was kept under digital arrest from May 5-10, 2024. After the complaint was filed, Rs 9 lakh was frozen. There is no format of ‘digital arrest’ or online investigation in the police department.” 

Lodge The Complaint Here

According to the press release issued on the PIB website on May 14, 2023, over a thousand Skype IDs have been blocked after such cases came to light. The SIM cards associated with these accounts are also being blocked. If you receive such a call, immediately inform about it on cyber crime helpline number 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in. 

Expert opinion 

Kislay Chaudhary, a cyber expert associated with the Delhi and UP police, advises that if you receive any intimidating call from someone claiming to be a CBI or police officer, first verify the number. Such calls often come from foreign numbers, such as those starting with +92 (Pakistan) or a WhatsApp call. If a police officer or any other government official calls, they will call from their CUG (Closed User Group) number, which can be verified by visiting the official websites. There is no process of online investigation in any government departments. If you receive such a call, immediately call 1930 or visit your nearest police station to file a complaint.