Noida doctor falls victim to 'Digital Arrest' scam, loses ₹59L
In a recent instance of cybercrime, Dr. Puja Goyal, a Noida-based physician, was swindled out of ₹59 lakh in a 'digital arrest' scam that is gaining traction in the Delhi-NCR region. On July 13, Goyal received a call from an individual posing as an official from the Telephone Regulatory Authority of India. The caller accused her of using her phone for circulating pornographic videos and declared her under 'digital arrest,' despite her denial.
Doctor duped into transferring large sum
After 48 hours of intense questioning, Goyal was manipulated into transferring ₹59,54,000 to a specified account. Upon realizing the scam, she lodged a complaint on July 22 with the cyber crime cell in Noida Sector 36. Assistant Commissioner of Police (cyber crime), Vivek Ranjan Rai, confirmed that they have details of the account where the money was transferred and stated, "They are being verified and action will be taken."
'Digital arrest' scam: A growing concern
The 'digital arrest' scam involves tricking victims into believing they are under arrest for illegal activities conducted via their phone. Scammers pose as law enforcement authorities, using fake IDs to convince their targets of their authenticity. Recently, Krishna Dasgupta, a 72-year-old woman from Delhi's Chittaranjan Park area, was deceived into transferring ₹83 lakh after being told her phone had been used for criminal activities.
Around 10 incidents reported in recent months
In response to these incidents, the Noida police has issued an advisory warning residents about such scams. The advisory noted that nearly 10 such incidents have been reported recently, leading to registered FIRs and ongoing investigations.
How to prevent against rising such scams?
It is important to verify suspicious calls, particularly those made via WhatsApp. You must also check the caller's credentials through official channels. Further, if a suspicious call claims that legal action is being taken or asks for personal or financial information, citizens are advised to immediately report it to their nearest police station or cyber cell.
