In Mumbai, an 81-year-old man became a victim of a new type of fraud known as 'digital arrest', losing a substantial amount of money.
The Incident
The victim, Chandrakant M., had returned to Mumbai from Hong Kong, where he resides with his son. Shortly after his return, he was contacted by fraudsters impersonating officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They falsely accused him of human trafficking and money laundering, then forced him to transfer 1 million INR supposedly for investigation purposes.
Fraudsters' Methods
The fraudsters 'digitally isolated' the victim, constantly monitoring him via video calls and preventing him from leaving his home or seeking help. They claimed he was under house arrest and threatened him with shutting off his mobile phone.
Authorities' Response
The incident was reported to Santacruz police on December 9. Police noted that similar digital arrest scams are gaining ground in India. Recently, in Rajasthan, 15 individuals were arrested for such scams, involving conversion of extorted funds into cryptocurrency.
Digital arrest scams are becoming increasingly prevalent in India, highlighting the need for citizens to exercise caution when receiving suspicious calls.
