The increasing frequency of such cases underscores the importance of cybersecurity awareness
Individuals must remain vigilant, avoid sharing personal or financial information over calls, and report any suspicious activity to the police immediately
Cybercrime has taken a sinister turn with fraudsters adopting a new strategy termed “digital arrest.” Victims are threatened with fabricated legal consequences, coerced into transferring large sums of money, and left traumatized. Recent cases highlight the growing sophistication of such scams.
In Lucknow, two NRI sisters from Canada, Suman Kakkar and Vinay Thapliyal, lost ₹1.9 crore to fraudsters posing as Mumbai Crime Branch officials. Visiting India, the sisters were accused of money laundering and “digitally arrested” during a video call. Fearing a life sentence, they transferred the sum to accounts controlled by the scammers. Swift action by the Cyber Crime Police led to ₹25 lakh being frozen, though the remaining amount remains unaccounted for. Investigators revealed that the stolen funds were routed through multiple bank accounts across four states.
Authorities continue to investigate these scams, but recovery remains a challenge due to the rapid transfer of funds across accounts
This case is not isolated. Former Miss India 2017 winner, Shivankita Dixit, was also targeted in Agra. Impersonators claiming to be from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accused her of links to serious crimes, including child trafficking and robbery. Under the pretense of clearing her name, she was coerced into transferring ₹99,000.
In another case, a 76-year-old doctor from Pune’s Pimpri-Chinchwad was defrauded of ₹28 lakh. Similarly, the scammers posed as CBI officials and exploited fear to extract money.
These incidents highlight the alarming rise of “digital arrest” fraud, where criminals exploit psychological pressure to manipulate victims. Experts urge the public to verify identities before responding to threats of arrest or legal action.
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