72-year-old Malad resident loses ₹90 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ fraud

Frauds impersonated police officers and placed the complainant under ’digital arrest’ for ten days claiming his bank accounts and mobile numbers were being used by people associated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI)

MUMBAI: A 72-year-old man lost around ₹90 lakh to cyber frauds who impersonated police officers and placed him under “digital arrest” for ten days claiming his bank accounts and mobile numbers were being used by people associated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

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The frauds asked the senior citizen to report his location every two hours over the 10 days and ordered him to liquidate all his funds and transfer the money to them, police officers familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

According to the north cyber police, the 72-year-old complainant resides in Malad West with his wife, two daughters and a son. His daughter works as a teacher and the family survives on her income, alongside interest from fixed deposits.

On August 28, the complainant received a video call from a person in police uniform who claimed to be Vishwas Nangre Patil, additional director general of police, Nashik. The caller said that an arrest warrant had been issued against him as his debit card had been misused and transactions worth crores of rupees had been carried out, and asked him to appear before the Panchavati police station in Nashik.

On August 29, the complainant received a call from another purported police officer who claimed he was from the Panchavati police station. The caller sent him several letters including one on a PFI letterhead, with photos of several purported terrorists. The caller claimed that the complainant had received 20% commission on the bank transactions and sent him 20 fake complaints to ensure he fell for the fraud.

“They even sent forged documents purportedly from the Supreme Court, alleging he was involved in money laundering and terrorism and posed a threat to national security, and made him sign a confidentiality agreement,” a police officer familiar with the matter said.

The frauds inquired about the complainant’s investments and asked him to liquidate all investments as on August 31, and send the money to bank accounts mentioned in forged letters in the name of the Enforcement Directorate and the Reserve Bank of India.

“After the complainant transferred around ₹90 lakh to them, they sought another ₹40 lakh and threatened to arrest him and put him behind bars for seven years,” the officer said. “He realised that he was being fooled when all the phone numbers from which he had received calls were switched off, and reported the matter to the National Cyber Helpline (1930),” the officer said.

Based on the complaint, the police have registered a first information report against unknown frauds.