Mumbai woman duped of ₹3.8 crore in ‘longest’ digital arrest case in India: Report

Scammers did this in the guise of a fake money laundering case against the woman and it all started when she got a WhatsApp call

Published on: Nov 26, 2024, 17:10:49 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Shivam Pratap Singh

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A 77-year-old woman from Mumbai was duped of Rs. 3.8 crore by scammers posing as law enforcement officers. The scammers kept the women under digital arrest for a month, the longest ever recorded since these kinds of scams started according to a report by NDTV.

Police inspector (Economic Offences Wing and Cyber) Manisha Zende said that the recovery was done from the different accused arrested in online digital fraud under various Sections of the Information Technology Act. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Scammers did this in the guise of a fake money laundering case against the woman and it all started when she got a WhatsApp call.

The woman, said to be a homemaker living with her husband in South Mumbai, received a call claiming that a parcel she allegedly sent to Taiwan was intercepted.

Scammers posing as police officers claimed that the said parcel contained 5 passports, about 4 kilograms of clothes, a drug called MDMA and a bank card, according to Mumbai Crime Branch.

The scammers also sent the woman a fake crime branch notice. When the woman said that she hadn't sent any parcel, she was told that her Aadhaar card details were used to do so and her call was transferred to a fake police officer claiming to be with the Crime Branch, who also parroted the same story.

The 77-year-old woman was asked to download Skype and got a call from a man claiming to be IPS officer Anand Rana. She was also told that she couldn't disconnect the call or tell anyone else about the case.

Another man, this time saying he was from the finance department, also joined the call and asked the woman to transfer money into an account shared by the scammers. He said it was a part of the investigation and the money would be returned if she was found innocent.

A month long ordeal

The woman was kept on the call for 24 hours and if the call got disconnected, the scammers would call again and threaten her. At first she transferred Rs. 15 lakh. After going to and fro for a month, a total of Rs. 3.8 crores were taken. After not hearing about the money and the case, the woman shared it with her daughter and thus it all came to light.

Digital Arrest has been a kind of scam where people are sent fake notices from law enforcement agencies and duped of money in the guise of an investigation.

There have been numerous cases till now with government agencies constantly warning common people to stay vigilant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.