In a disturbing incident of cyber fraud, a 26-year-old woman from Mumbai was conned out of ₹1.7 lakh after being subjected to a terrifying ‘digital arrest.’ The woman, who works for a pharmaceutical company in Borivali East, filed a complaint with the police after realizing she had been duped by fraudsters posing as Delhi Police officers.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on November 19, when the woman received a call from individuals claiming to be officers of the Delhi Police. They informed her that her name had come up in a money laundering investigation related to Naresh Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways, who is currently in jail. The scammers threatened her with arrest and told her she was under investigation.
The situation took a dark turn when the fraudsters asked the woman to continue the conversation via video call, claiming she was under “digital arrest.” They further instructed her to book a hotel room where she would be interrogated. Once she checked into the hotel, the scammers demanded that she transfer ₹1.78 lakh to verify her bank account details.
In an alarming escalation, the fraudsters also coerced the woman into stripping during the video call for what they claimed was a “body verification” process. Believing the threats to be real, she complied and transferred the money.
It was only after the ordeal ended that the woman realized she had been conned. On November 28, she approached the police and filed a formal complaint. Authorities have since registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhit and the Information Technology Act, and an investigation is underway.
The scam in this case is part of a disturbing trend of ‘digital arrests,’ where fraudsters use fear tactics, including false claims of involvement in criminal investigations, to extort money from their victims. The scam typically involves the fraudsters keeping the victim engaged over a video or audio call, during which they claim that the victim is under ‘virtual arrest’ and cannot communicate with anyone else until the demanded money is transferred.
Police have issued several advisories, clarifying that there is no such thing as ‘digital arrest’ or ‘virtual arrest.’ However, fraudsters continue to prey on vulnerable individuals, especially those not well-versed in technology. Although elderly individuals have been common targets in the past, this incident highlights that younger adults are also falling victim to such scams.
This case follows another similar incident in which fraudsters used Naresh Goyal’s name to trick Shri Paul Oswal, the chairman of Vardhman Group, into transferring ₹7 crore. In both instances, the victims were told they were under ‘digital arrest’ and that their cooperation was required to resolve the supposed case against them.
Authorities urge the public to be vigilant against such scams and report any suspicious activities immediately to prevent further exploitation.
Sources By Agencies
