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‘Digital Arrest’ scam: Noida family loses ₹1.10 crore to cyber criminals; here’s what happened
A Noida family lost over ₹1 crore in a cyber fraud scheme called 'digital arrest', where fraudsters impersonated government officials. The victims were threatened with arrest over false accusations, leading them to make significant payments. Police are investigating the incident.
A family in Noida has fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing over ₹1 crore after being subjected to a five-day 'digital arrest' by fraudsters impersonating government officials, police confirmed on Monday.
The emerging scam, termed 'digital arrest', involves criminals posing as law enforcement officers, such as officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or customs authorities. These fraudsters intimidate victims through video calls, falsely accusing them of offences related to international parcels containing banned substances.
According to police reports, Chandrabhan Paliwal lodged a complaint stating that he had received a call from an unknown number on 1 February. The caller claimed to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and warned that his SIM card was at risk of being blocked.
Shortly thereafter, Paliwal was contacted by another individual purporting to be an officer from the Cyber Crime Branch of Mumbai. Within minutes, a video call was placed by a person identifying himself as an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Mumbai's Kolava Police Station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Preeti Yadav revealed.
The fraudulent officer falsely accused Paliwal of extortion, alleging that 24 criminal cases had been filed against him in multiple locations. Furthermore, he asserted that the CBI was investigating him for money laundering offences.
The ordeal escalated when Paliwal’s wife and daughter were also targeted with similar video calls, during which they were warned of imminent arrest unless a payment was made. Yielding to the threats, Paliwal transferred a total of ₹1.10 crore over the course of five days, Yadav confirmed.
A formal case has been registered, and authorities are conducting further investigations to identify and apprehend those responsible for the scam.
The government has consistently emphasised that "digital arrest" does not exist and has repeatedly cautioned the people of India against falling for such scams.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Business NewsNews‘Digital Arrest’ scam: Noida family loses ₹1.10 crore to cyber criminals; here’s what happened
First Published:11 Feb 2025, 06:13 PM IST
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