'Digital arrest' scam: Over ₹4,000cr lost in last 3 years
What's the story
India's "digital arrest" scam has emerged as one of the country's most devastating cyber frauds. According to government data reviewed by News18, there have been 297,727 complaints and losses worth ₹4,057.7 crore between 2022 and May this year. The scam involves con artists impersonating police officers or central agency officials to intimidate victims into transferring money.
Modus operandi
Scammers use video calls to keep victims under psychological pressure
The modus operandi of these scams is pretty straightforward. Senior citizens are often the prime targets, who are coerced into making huge RTGS transfers. The fraudsters employ WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram video calls to keep their victims under psychological pressure. This method has been used in several cases, including that of an elderly NRI doctor couple from Delhi who lost ₹14.84 crore after being subjected to a fake "digital arrest."
Investigation
Fraudsters often operate from organized crime centers in Southeast Asia
Investigators have linked several of these scams to organized fraud centers in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Cybercrime officials continue to warn that there is no legal provision for a 'digital arrest' in India. Anyone posing as police, CBI or RBI officials and demanding money over phone or video call is clearly committing fraud.
Statistics
Scam gaining momentum over the years
The number of complaints related to "digital arrest" scams has risen sharply over the years. From 39,925 in 2022, complaints peaked at 1,23,672 in 2024, with victims losing ₹1,935.5 crore then. In just the first five months of this year, authorities received 15,215 complaints involving losses worth ₹481.1 crore. However, despite a rise in cases and financial losses over the years, there was a slight decline last year.