Bengaluru woman duped of ₹30 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam; forced to break FDs and empty bank accounts: Report

The fraudsters held the Bengaluru woman under a fabricated “digital arrest” for 11 days, orchestrating an elaborate cyber scam.

Updated on: Dec 23, 2024, 08:40:32 IST

By HT News Desk

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In yet another case of “digital arrest,” a 46-year-old homemaker from Indiranagar, Bengaluru, was conned out of over ₹30 lakh by fraudsters impersonating officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Mumbai police.

The police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. (PTI/FILE IMAGE)

According to a report by Deccan Herald, the scammers held her under a fabricated “digital arrest” for 11 days, orchestrating an elaborate cyber scam.

The victim, only realised she had been duped after the scammers stopped contacting her. She stumbled upon a news article about a similar fraud and reported the incident to the police on December 19, the report added.

(Also Read: Non-vegetarian food distribution sparks row at Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Mandya)

Fake calls from TRAI, Mumbai Police

The ordeal began on December 3 when the woman received an automated call, allegedly from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), warning her that her SIM card and bank accounts would be deactivated unless she pressed a specific number. She was then connected to a man claiming to be from TRAI, who informed her that a SIM card in her name was linked to harassment complaints, the report further added.

The call was “transferred” to a supposed Mumbai police sub-inspector, who warned the victim she was under investigation and had to travel to Mumbai immediately or face a “digital arrest.” Unable to travel, she was subjected to a series of video calls with a man claiming to be a CBI official, who accused her of money laundering.

Under the guise of verifying her funds, the woman was coerced into transferring money in multiple installments, including breaking her fixed deposits worth ₹27.5 lakh.

Over the next few days, the woman emptied her bank accounts, transferring a total of ₹30 lakh to the fraudsters. On December 15, the scammers deactivated their Skype account, cutting off all communication.

The police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.

(Also Read: ‘Girl friend swapping’ racket busted in Bengaluru, 2 arrested for exploiting woman with private videos)

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HT News Desk
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