IIT Bombay student loses ₹7 lakh in 'digital arrest' scam
A 25-year-old Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay student became the target of a cyber fraud scheme called "digital arrest" in July. The incident was reported to Powai police on Tuesday. The scam started with an unidentified caller, posing as an employee of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), informing the student about 17 complaints of illegal activities registered against his mobile number.
Scammer impersonates cybercrime official, demands money
The fraudster warned the student that his number would be deactivated unless he got a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the police. The call was then allegedly transferred to a supposed Cyber Crime Branch official. On a subsequent WhatsApp video call, a man dressed as a police officer demanded the student's Aadhaar number and accused him of money laundering.
Victim coerced into transferring money, shares bank details
The student was then forced to transfer ₹29,500 through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to evade arrest. The fraudster also intimidated the student by saying he was under "digital arrest," a common trick employed by scammers to coerce victims into paying. The next day, the scammer demanded more money from the student who, under duress, shared his bank account details.
Scammers siphon off additional ₹7 lakh, student reports fraud
This information enabled the scammers to siphon off another ₹7 lakh from his account. After receiving the money, they assured him that he was safe and won't face arrest. The student realized he had been duped after researching "digital arrest" online and immediately reported the fraud to Powai police.
Police launch investigation, warn public about similar scams
The police have since launched an investigation into the incident and are working to identify the perpetrators. They are also advising the public to remain vigilant against similar scams, which are increasingly common in today's digital landscape. "Digital arrest" is a new and growing form of cyber fraud where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or government agency personnel, intimidating victims through audio/video calls into making payments.
