Fraudsters 'digitally arrest' Bengaluru women for 9hrs, make them strip
What's the story
Two women in Bengaluru became victims of a disturbing online scam that left them mentally tortured and financially exploited. The fraudsters posed as police officers and subjected the victims to a humiliating video call strip search under the pretext of an online "medical examination." The incident took place on July 17 when Richa (name changed), who was visiting India from Thailand, received a call from a number (8856062795).
Deceptive tactics
How the fraudsters lured the victims
The caller, posing as an officer from Mumbai's Colaba police station, falsely implicated Richa in a money laundering case involving Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal. The scammer also accused her of human trafficking and murder. Despite Richa's attempts to deny the charges, the fraudster presented details of her debit card and forged documents, including an arrest warrant and a fake Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) ID.
Financial exploitation
Victims made to stay on call under 'digital arrest'
The scammers then made a video call, claiming to connect the women with CBI officers. They forced Richa and her friend Anne (name changed) to stay on a WhatsApp video call for nearly nine hours under "digital arrest." The fraudsters demanded that the women transfer money to prove it wasn't black money, promising its return after verification. Trusting them, Richa transferred ₹58,447 from her account.
Online harassment
What happened during the strip search
After receiving the money, the fraudsters demanded an online medical test to check for "bullet wounds, moles or tattoos." They asked both women to strip naked and follow their instructions. Anne later told police she was informed her entire house was under surveillance and an arrest warrant had been issued against Richa. The women were unaware they were being recorded during this humiliating act.
Legal action
When the ordeal finally ended
After enduring this ordeal for nearly nine hours, Richa managed to reach out to a friend over WhatsApp around 8:00pm. The friend advised her it was a scam and told her to disconnect from the call. After they hung up, the scammers sent threatening messages with their nude videos and photos, warning of online leaks. However, Anne told police they deleted all material out of fear and shame. A case has been filed at East CEN Crime police station under multiple sections of the Information Technology Act and Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.