In a new trend of cyber fraud, two separate cases have emerged from Haryana's Faridabad and Uttar Pradesh's Noida, where unsuspecting women fell victim to the alarming trend of "digital arrest." In both instances, the victims were defrauded of substantial amounts to the tune of lakhs while also being subjected to psychological manipulation by cybercriminals posing as law enforcement officers.
What Is 'Digital Arrest'?
Digital Arrest is a new form of cybercrime where fraudsters pretending to be law enforcement officials deceive their targets into believing that their Aadhaar card, SIM card, bank card, or bank account has been used for criminal activities. They extort money from victims by using fabricated accusations.
'Digital Arrest' Case: Faridabad Woman Duped To The Tune Of Rs 2.5 Lakhs
In Faridabad, a 23-year-old woman was digitally arrested and duped of Rs 2.5 lakh, the police informed on Thursday, as per news agency PTI. The victim received a call on October 12 from an imposter claiming to be a customs officer in Lucknow. The caller alleged that a parcel containing passports and cards linked to the victim's Aadhaar number was being sent to Cambodia. The victim was coerced into believing she was involved in criminal activities, including human trafficking. The cybercriminals, posing as police officers, fabricated accusations and, ultimately, extorted money from the victim.
Describing the incident, the woman stated, "They also cited some complaints in which people have said that they have given money to me to send children abroad and (I) duped them of around Rs 3.80 crore. Later, a man posing as a CBI officer told me that I have to pay five per cent of the amount, that is Rs 15 lakh, and when I expressed my inability, he said that they are arresting me digitally", as quoted by PTI.
The cybercriminals, employing psychological tactics, kept the victim logged into Skype while coercing her to transfer funds to a designated bank account. After successfully extracting Rs 2.5 lakh, the criminals released the victim from the so-called "digital arrest."
'Digital Arrest' Case: Noida Woman Defrauded Of Over Rs 11 Lakhs
In a separate incident in Noida, a woman was defrauded of over Rs 11 lakh and subjected to a day-long "digital arrest". The cybercriminals followed a similar modus operandi, impersonating police officials and associating the victim with fictitious criminal cases. The victim was told that her Aadhaar card and other personal details were used for purchasing a mobile phone SIM card and further used for illegal advertising and harassment of women.
In her complaint, she stated, "Then my call was transferred to a person (who identified himself as a Mumbai Police officer) who did the initial interrogation over the call and then on Skype VC. Then he informed that I have another allegation of money laundering related to (the founder of an airline) for which an FIR has been registered against me and an arrest warrant issued by the Supreme Court."
The criminals coerced the victim into transferring funds from her accounts, claiming it was necessary for a Supreme Court-ordered investigation.
To further manipulate the victim, the fraudsters insisted on maintaining secrecy due to alleged national security implications. The victim was pressured to maintain sufficient balances in her accounts and even advised to apply for a personal instant loan of Rs 20 lakh from ICICI. The criminals went to great lengths, taking a picture of the victim's signature on Skype under the pretext of validating her Aadhaar card for the fictitious investigation, PTI reported.
Upon realising the scam, the victim reported the matter to the Uttar Pradesh Police's Cyber Crime officials, alleging a fraud of Rs 11.11 lakh and detailing her digital arrest from morning to night. Inspector Reeta Yadav, in-charge of the Cyber Crime police station in Noida Sector 36, confirmed the filing of an FIR under the relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code.
Inspector Reeta Yadav cautioned the public, stating, "People should also know that police never question any person digitally. If someone threatens you like this, ask them to send you a proper notice, ask for their details, and tell them that you are coming to the police station to meet them", as quoted by PTI.
These incidents highlight the evolving tactics of cybercriminals and the need for increased awareness and vigilance among the public to prevent falling prey to such scams.
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