E-Paper
Digital arrest: MP teacher panics over illegal parcel threat, dies by suicide
The deceased's brother-in-law said cyber fraudsters had placed her under 'digital arrest" and made her transfer ₹22,000 and ₹5,500 into accounts
A woman in Madhya Pradesh's Mauganj allegedly died by suicide as she panicked after getting threatened with arrest by cyber fraudsters who digitally arrested her and told her that a parcel she had sent contained illegal materials, police said on Monday.
The woman, a 35-year-old government guest teacher, allegedly consumed poison on Sunday evening and died on way to the hospital, news agency PTI quoted police as saying.
“Cyber fraudsters were pressuring the woman, a government guest teacher, after claiming a parcel she had sent contained illegal materials. The accused were seeking money from her,” Superintendent of Police Rasna Thakur said.
Also Read: As ‘digital arrest’ cases surge, know ways to detect a fraud attempt
The deceased's brother-in-law, cited in the PTI report, said cyber fraudsters had placed her under 'digital arrest" and made her transfer ₹22,000 and ₹5,500 into accounts the accused gave her the details of.
The accused told her she would be arrested if she did not pay money," Vinod Pandey said.
She then consumed a poisonous substance.
Her family members then took her to Sanjay Medical College in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa, but she died enroute, Superintendent of Police Rasna Thakur said.
Thakur said a case has been registered and that cyber team has begun probe.
Digital arrest cases on the rise
Cases of digital arrest have become more frequent in the country, with one popular YouTuber and social media influencer - Ankush Bahuguna - also falling prey to the scam.
YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna on Sunday said in a post on Instagram that he recently became the target of a digital arrest scam in which he was held hostage for almost 40 hours. In a video, Ankush Bahuguna opened up about how scammers manipulated him, resulting in him losing money and even mental health to the scam.
Digital arrest refers to a deceptive tactic used by cybercriminals, who falsely claim to have the authority to arrest an individual through digital means, often over the phone or via an online mode of communication.
In most digital arrest cases, targets of scammers receive a call which claims they are involved in illegal activities. Scammers pose as law enforcement or regulatory officials and use threats or intimidation to pressurise the victims into transferring money or providing personal information, a method that exploits fear and confusion, taking advantage of the victim's panic to facilitate financial fraud.
