Digital arrest: Beware of the new cyber scam that alleges you of serious crime to extort money

A new cyber scam across the country has emerged. In this, criminals impersonate law enforcement officers and scare people by placing them under ‘Digital Arrest'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently highlighted the issue in his Mann Ki Baat broadcast alerting citizens against falling for such scams in light of many victims losing large amount of money.

How the new scam works

Message: The scammers establish initial contact through an SMS, email or a WhatsApp text. The message states that the recipient's name or phone number is linked to criminal acts like pornography, drug peddling, or money laundering. They are instructed to call a specific number to avoid ‘digital arrest'.

Video call: Next, the scammers initiate a video call over platforms like Skype or WhatsApp, posing as officials from agencies like Maharashtra police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), or Customs. They use appropriate uniforms, props like govt flags, logos, or VHF radio sounds to make the video call look legitimate.



False allegations: The scammers accuse the victim of serious crime during the call. Sometimes, fraudsters posing as cops claim that a family member is under arrest or has been implicated.

Continuous intimidation: Scammers put pressure on the victim by maintaining a constant presence on the call. They demand that the victim stays on video. as a form of ‘monitoring' or ‘verification'. The objective is to keep the victim in a heightened state of fear and pressure, restricting them from consulting with others or thinking clearly.

Extortion: Once the victim is intimidated, the scammers demand money to ‘clear' the charges. They instruct the victim to transfer large sums of money to accounts provided by them, which are generally mule accounts.

Preventive measures

Be Skeptical: Legitimate govt agencies will not conduct investigations or arrests via video calls

Safeguard personal information: Avoid sharing sensitive data online.


Never transfer money: Law enforcement agencies do not demand payments for case dismissals.

Report suspicious calls: Immediately report any suspicious interaction to local police or use cybercrime helplines, such as 1930 or report it at cybercrime.gov.in.

Gather evidence: People who receive these calls should record or take screenshots of suspicious conversations as potential evidence.

Example cases

Retired consultant loses Rs 2 crore

Hyderabad resident AV Mohan Rao, a 79-year-old retired consultant, lost Rs 2 crore to scammers posing as officers from Mumbai Police. The criminals issued a fabricated digital arrest warrant bearing seals supposedly from the Supreme Court and other government agencies. They claimed his Aadhaar details and phone number were linked to money laundering and illegal activities. Scared, Rao gave away his bank details and was coerced into transferring Rs 2 crore in three separate transactions.

Elderly woman defrauded of Rs 5.9 crore

An 85-year-old woman from Hyderabad was duped by criminals and forced into transferring Rs 5.9 crore after scammers posed as cybercrime officials from Mumbai. They said that her Aadhaar details were linked to high-profile money laundering cases involving public figures. They pressured her to transfer funds, convincing her that failure to comply would result in her digital arrest.