IIT Bombay student duped of Rs 7.29 lakh in 'Digital Arrest' cyber scam
PTC Web Desk: An IIT Bombay student fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam and lost Rs 7.29 lakh after a fraudster impersonated an employee of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the Mumbai police reported on Tuesday. The scam revolved around the emerging tactic of "digital arrest," where cybercriminals pretend to be law enforcement or government officials, using intimidation through audio or video calls to extract money from victims.
According to the police, the 25-year-old student received a call in July from a person claiming to be a TRAI representative. The caller falsely alleged that 17 complaints of illegal activities were registered against the victim’s mobile number. The student was told that to avoid deactivation of his number, he needed a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the police. The call was then transferred to someone impersonating a Cyber Crime Branch officer.
During a WhatsApp video call, the victim was shown a man dressed as a police officer. Claiming the student was involved in money laundering, the fraudster demanded the victim's Aadhaar details and coerced him into transferring Rs 29,500 via UPI. The scammer further intimidated the student, saying he was under "digital arrest" and forbidden from contacting anyone.
The next day, the fraudsters called again, pressuring the victim to share his bank account details. Using this information, they siphoned off Rs 7 lakh. After receiving the money, the scammers assured him there would be no arrest.
The student grew suspicious and conducted an online search about "digital arrest," realising he had been scammed. He then filed a police complaint against the unidentified perpetrators. The police are investigating the case and have urged citizens to remain vigilant against such frauds, especially those involving impersonation and intimidation tactics.
- With inputs from agencies
