Indians lose ₹120 crore in digital arrest frauds, 46% of digital scamsters from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia

46% of digital fraud cases including digital arrests, trading scams, investment scams (task based) and romance/dating scams were from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia

Published on: Oct 28, 2024, 08:47:28 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Abhyjith K. Ashokan

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Indians lost ₹120.3 crore just from digital arrest frauds during the first quarter of this year alone, according to an Indian Express report which cited data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

A lot of scamsters involved in perpetrating digital arrest frauds are based in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. (Representational Image/Unsplash)

The issue was even highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 115th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, October 27, 2024.

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46% of such digital fraud cases including digital arrests, trading scams, investment scams (task based) and romance/dating scams reported in this period involved scamsters based in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, according to the report, which added that the victims lost a cumulative amount of ₹1,776 crore.

Victims lost ₹1,420.48 crore in trading scams, ₹222.58 crore in investment scams, and ₹13.23 crore in romance/dating scams, according to the report which quoted Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) Chief Executive Officer Rajesh Kumar as saying.

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There were 7.4 lakh complaints made between January 1 and April 30, 2024, with 15.56 lakh complaints received in the entirety of 2023, 9.66 lakh complaints in 2022, and 4.52 lakh in 2021.

“The cybercrime operations based in these countries employ a comprehensive array of deceptive strategies, including recruitment efforts by exploiting social media to lure Indians with fake employment opportunities,” the report quoted Kumar as saying.

What are digital arrests?

Victims get a call with the caller claiming they had sent or will send parcels containing illegal goods, drugs, fake passports, or others.

In some other cases, the scamsters would call and tell friends and family of victims that the victim is involved in a crime.

The would go on to target their victim through a video call, wearing uniforms and claiming t be law enforcement, and then demand money for closing the case.

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HT News Desk
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