A Bengaluru-based software professional was allegedly cheated of nearly ₹2 crore after fraudsters trapped her in what police describe as a “digital arrest” scam, forcing her to sell her flat and two residential plots to meet their demands.
The woman, who works with a software company, was living with her 10-year-old son in a flat in Vignan Nagar in Karnataka's Bengaluru, according to reports by NDTV and News18, when the fraud took place in June.
She received a phone call from a man reportedly posing as a courier official. The caller claimed that a suspicious parcel linked to her Aadhaar card had been seized, following which the call was transferred to people who introduced themselves as officers of the Mumbai Police, the report by the news channels added.
‘Do not step out’, threats to child
The fraudsters allegedly threatened her with arrest and instructed her not to step out of her house until the so-called verification process was completed. Investigators said the callers warned that her son would face consequences if she did not cooperate.
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{{/usCountry}}“Fearing for her child's future,” the reports said, the woman complied with their instructions and began arranging large sums of money to “prove her innocence”.
She was also asked to install a specific mobile application to remain in constant contact with them.
Property sold at distress prices
Under sustained pressure, the victim sold two residential plots she owned in Malur at distress price, the NDTV report added. Even after the sale of the plots, the fraudsters allegedly continued to demand more money.
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She was then forced to sell her Vignan Nagar flat, where she lived with her son. The proceeds from the property sales were transferred directly to bank accounts provided by the scammers, according to the reports.
In desperation, she also took a bank loan and paid that amount to them as well. In all, the woman, identified as Babita Das, lost around ₹2 crore.
Probe underway
After extracting the money, the fraudsters reportedly told her to approach a nearby police station to retrieve the amount and then abruptly cut the call. Their phones were subsequently switched off.
The woman has now lodged a complaint with the Whitefield Cyber Crime Police Station. Police said an investigation has been launched into the digital arrest scam, and efforts are on to trace the accounts and individuals involved.