An elderly resident of Ahmedabad was drawn into a sophisticated cyber scam that led to a financial loss running into crores, exposing the growing threat of so called digital arrest frauds.
The victim, aged 82, was cheated of Rs 7.12 crore after cybercriminals placed him under what they claimed was a “digital arrest”. The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has arrested 12 people so far in connection with the case.
Police said the fraud began on December 4 when the man received a call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as an official from the Central Bureau of Investigation and alleged that obscene videos had been sent to celebrities using the victim’s Aadhaar card. He was told that a complaint had been lodged with the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Soon after, several fraudsters posing as Mumbai Crime Branch officials contacted him through WhatsApp video calls. They showed him fabricated records of illegal transactions worth Rs 2 crore and claimed he was involved in a money laundering case linked to former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal.
The deception intensified when the victim was made to attend a fake online court hearing on WhatsApp. A person impersonating a Supreme Court judge appeared on screen and ordered him to stay on continuous video calls for almost 24 hours a day. He was kept under “digital arrest” at his home for nearly 3 weeks.
To increase fear, the fraudsters sent fake arrest warrants and official looking letters carrying logos of agencies such as the CBI, RBI, Enforcement Directorate and Interpol. They threatened imprisonment and public defamation.
Between December 16 and 26, the accused extracted details of the man’s bank accounts, properties and demat holdings under the pretext of verification. Believing his money would be returned, the victim transferred Rs 7.12 crore through RTGS and cheques to accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
Investigators later found that the racket was linked to a Chinese cybercrime syndicate operating from Cambodia. The arrested accused, residents of Ahmedabad and Surat, allegedly provided bank accounts and helped move money in exchange for commissions.
Police said the funds were converted into cryptocurrency USDT using Telegram channels and sent abroad. A total of 238 mule or rented bank accounts were identified. Sixteen mobile phones and cash were seized.
The victim approached police nearly 3 weeks later, by which time most of the money was gone. Only around Rs 10 lakh has been recovered. A case has been registered under sections related to cheating, identity theft and criminal conspiracy.
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