Lucknow: A retired Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) official, who narrowly escaped a Rs 35 lakh cyber fraud on Sunday, issued a strong appeal to senior citizens, urging them not to panic or submit to so-called ‘digital arrests’ and instead immediately contact police or their banks.The fraud attempt was thwarted on Feb 6 due to the timely intervention of officials at the Bank of Maharashtra’s Lucknow zonal office, where the 72-year-old victim Chhedi Lal Patel came for routine work. Alert staff noticed Patel’s anxiety while he was on a phone call and stepped in, preventing any financial loss. Speaking two days after the incident to TOI, Patel said the fraudsters carefully exploited fear and authority. “The caller claimed to be from a central agency and told me I was under digital arrest. At first, I thought maybe someone misused my identity. They spoke confidently, used official-sounding language, and kept me on the call continuously,” he said.According to Patel, the callers accused him of having links with terror-related activities and claimed his Aadhaar details surfaced during an investigation. “I am 72-plus and served honestly all my life. From villages to city postings, there was never an FIR against me. When they said I was connected to terrorism, my mind froze,” he said.The fraudsters escalated pressure by switching to video calls, instructing Patel not to disconnect, step outside, or speak to anyone. “Despite reading about such scams in newspapers and watching advisories on TV, fear took over at that moment,” he admitted. Patel said the situation could have turned serious had the bank staff not intervened. “The bank officials sensed something was wrong. They asked me to share details and immediately told me that no govt agency carries out arrests over phone or video calls. Their support saved me,” he said.
