Hyderabad: A 72-year-old man fell victim to a “digital arrest” scam, losing ₹53 lakh to fraudsters who posed as officials of a central govt agency probing a money laundering case.Cybercrime police said the victim initially received a call from an unidentified person claiming to be an officer of the ‘Data Protection Board of India’. The caller alleged that the victim was wanted in a criminal case, claiming his Aadhaar details had been used to commit an offence.The victim was subsequently contacted by others impersonating Maharashtra police personnel. They accused him of involvement in loan fraud and money laundering. To make their claims appear credible, the fraudsters shared fabricated documents, including an FIR and a purported Supreme Court order.“On the pretext of verification, the accused asked the victim to transfer money into a designated account, assuring him that the amount would be returned after the investigation,” police said. The victim was also asked to fill out a form and maintain secrecy about the so-called probe.Posing as officials working “for national justice and integrity”, the fraudsters threatened him with arrest during a WhatsApp video call, effectively placing him under a “digital arrest”. The fake Supreme Court order even carried the name of a judge to lend authenticity.Under pressure, the victim transferred ₹53 lakh, police said. He later realised he had been duped after speaking to relatives, following which he approached the police and lodged a complaint.
