Digital arrest scams: How conmen are duping people in crores
Between early 2024 and mid-2025, Bengaluru saw over 1,000 digital arrest scams—where scammers pretend to be police or government officials, accuse people of fake crimes like money laundering, and pressure them to transfer money fast "to avoid arrest."
The total loss? A whopping ₹572.68 crore.
More than 80% of Karnataka's digital arrest scam cases
Bengaluru alone makes up more than 80% of Karnataka's digital arrest scam cases.
Losses jumped from ₹148.84 crore in 2024 to ₹423.83 crore in just the first half of 2025—almost three people get scammed every day, losing about ₹1 crore daily.
Even though more victims are reporting these crimes now, less than a quarter of cases actually get solved or see any money recovered.
Authorities are expanding cybercrime units and running awareness drives, but the scammers keep getting smarter—making this a tough challenge for everyone involved.