Along with the development of technology, the digital world becomes susceptible to all sorts of cyber fraud. Among the newest and most promising threats here is the Digital Arrest Scam. This forgery of a new scamming style originates from a group of fraudsters who disguise themselves as policemen or government officers, stating that a member of the family, who has some legal issues, will be soon arrested. These scammers usually scare people and convince them that they will be arrested if the sum demanded by scammers is not paid immediately.
This Digital Arrest Scam takes advantage of people’s fear and panic to act on impulse. It often begins through a phone call, email, or even video call, followed by money transfer or disclosure of private details. This is now on the rise, affecting many and including some esteemed institutions. It becomes relevant to speak out and create awareness against such acts of blackmail.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi[1] in his Mann Ki Baat speech to the nation expressed concern over ‘digital arrest fraud’. The Prime Minister played an audio-video clip featuring a man in police uniform and asking the person (victim) on the other end to share his Aadhaar number to get a mobile number blocked. This is their modus operandi by which fraudsters can create fear of Digital arrest and con people based on their fears.
In this blog, I will break down the mechanics of the Digital Arrest Scam, share some notable cases and its impact, and give you some actionable tips to protect yourself and keep you safe in this increasingly digital world.
What is “digital arrest” scam?
The term “Digital Arrest” refers to the latest form of cybercrime in which extortionists pose as law enforcers or even governmental officials to convince their victims that they are arrested. Using all sorts of advanced technologies such as video calls, digital documents, and fabricated online hearings, fraudsters pretend to present an actual real-life legal situation and try to tap into the victim’s emotions- usually by inducing fear-to comply with their demand for money or some other sensitive information.
The cyber thieves usually threaten that the victim is engaged in major money laundering, tax evasions, or criminal conspiracies, and such needs urgent payment to avoid arrest. The combination of video conferencing apparatuses with doctored documents and uniforms designed to be official makes it rather unlikely for a victim to discredit this scenario.
How the digital arrest scam works?
The Digital Arrest scam runs through several stages, each of which is designed to put as much psychological pressure on a target as possible. Step by step, here’s how it usually works:
Step 1: Initial contact
The scam usually begins in a call, message, or email that looks like it comes from some reputable source-a bank, telecom provider, or government agency, perhaps. The warning will typically be threatening: it may threaten the recipient with a legal action or nefarious activity that involves his name, thereby heightening both the urgency and fear of the situation to be responded to. Scammers may also employ “call-back” tactics, where they provide a number to call back on, further adding to their credibility.
Step 2: Heightening the threat
The scammer escalates the case by becoming a law enforcement officer or even a government representative once the victim responds. The scammer may have even known some of the personal details of the victim, such as name, address, or ID number, to back their case and make it sound believable. They would say that the victim is involved in serious criminal activities and that an arrest warrant has been issued in his name.
For added authenticity, the scammer might quickly switch to a video call. In this video call, the scammer may don a uniform, flash a phony badge, or use a Photoshopped background that is prepared to look like a government office. It is not unheard of for some of these scammers to brandish fake arrest warrants or court orders to heighten the legitimacy of the whole appearance.
Step 3: The payment demand
After fear instillation, with the pressure to make a quick move, the scammer now threatens the money must be paid now to avoid being taken to jail or any sort of legal arrest. More often than not, such payments are demanded through channels that cannot be traced, such as cryptocurrencies, prepaid gift cards, or wire transfers. The fraudster typically orders the victim to send the funds now and not wait for the family or friends to discuss the matter. The hard time pressure strategy and arrest threat usually keep the victim in a helpless position, forcing them into compliance.
Some notable cases of the digital arrest scam
The Digital Arrest scam has been perpetrated on all kinds of people-from senior citizens and professionals to even high-profile executives. Some notable cases[2] are mentioned below that clearly show the severe impact of this scam:
Businessman cheated case
In September 2024, scammers posing as a federal investigator duped S.P. Oswal, chair of Vardhman Group. They even presented an imitation of former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud in an online hearing by the Supreme Court. The scam culminated with Oswal transferring about ₹6.9 crore, equivalent to approximately $830,000, to the scammers under the threat of arrest. This case marks how the highest authorities are not less vulnerable to such complex kinds of scams.
Retired delhi engineer case
A Delhi retired engineer fell victim to the scamsters who swindled Rs 10.3 crore after a dubious call sought to know about a parcel that contained banned drugs seized at Mumbai airport, reportedly sent from Taiwan. As explained, the parcel had been seized at Mumbai airport. To settle all issues, the man was asked to download Skype for a video call. He was detained on “digital arrest” for eight hours and became sufficiently terror-struck to transfer the money into a variety of accounts. He later complained to the police and informed his family in early October. Delhi Police’s Cyber Cell and IFSO[3] wing are investigating, freezed Rs 60 lakhs, and suspect that calls were made from abroad to make this scam possible. The victim has also alleged that fraudsters threatened his children abroad with terrorizing them.
The scam on the older adult-the fake policeman case
A 72-year-old woman is instructed to accept a call from some disguised police officers claiming that she is under legal investigation. The fraudsters almost threaten the woman into transferring a large amount of money not to be arrested. This case proves that fraudsters gain in situations where the elderly may not be well informed about digital communication and warning signs of fraud.
A doctor victimized during video call
Dr. Anvitha is a known doctor, and it was the scammers who posed as officers from the CBI which called her up, stating she was being investigated for money laundering. They threatened her to come on a video call immediately, stating that otherwise, she would land in jail within the next hour. Under fear of being ruined and getting imprisoned, Dr. Anvitha transferred ₹70 lakh to them. It’s an eye opener for professionals who might have more trusting behavior towards all authorities and vulnerability to such scams.
Protect yourself from digital arrest scam: a step-by-step safety guide[4]
Digital fraud is now becoming quite sophisticated. Individuals and institutions must, therefore be vigilant and take proactive steps to protect themselves from all these scams. One of the growing threats in the digital world is the Digital Arrest Scam, where scammers masquerade as law enforcement officials or government authority figures to extort money by creating false panic. To help you stay safe and not fall into this type of scam, here are a few key strategies to adopt :
1. Keep calm and think rationally
The nature of most scams, including Digital Arrest Scams is that of urgency and fear. They make you believe that doom is nigh by saying that you are being arrested or charged with a crime, hence you react in the heat of the moment. However, you need to remain calm and think clearly in such situations. Once you receive such a call or message, do not let panic overtake you. Breathe and analyze the situation. Remember that genuine police departments will never ask you for instant payments over telephone or video calls. They follow formal procedures where money collection through unauthenticated sources is not part of it. If you are feeling overwhelmed and need to take a step backward then do so for some time before taking any action.
2. Validate the identity of the caller
The most crucial step in the prevention of scams is to validate the identity of the person contacting you. When you get any call, text, or email from some unknown sender claiming to be the government or any law enforcing agency, do not believe them immediately. Scammers are known to often spoof caller ID, making it appear as if they’re dialing from a legitimate number. Do not respond based on the number included in the message or on the call. Hang up, and verify independently. Verify the agency or authority they claimed to represent and their contact details. Look them up, then call them directly to verify whether they have records of your arrest or other legal issues. In this way, you can be sure you are talking to a real representative and not a hoaxer.
3. Never share personal or financial information
I think the most essential rule of digital safety is not to share any personal information-for instance, bank accounts, identification numbers, passwords, etc.-with anyone through telephone, emails, or messaging services. It’s like thieves would lure you into giving your information by promising you to change your account, remove a penalty, or anything else. Note that only scams would ever want to request something like this from you through some insecure channel. If an honest authority like the police department or a bank for that matter wants to request something from you, they will never ask you to give them your information over some insecure channel. And if somebody does, then that’s a sure sign that the request is fraudulent.
4. Do not respond to unsolicited calls or messages
Scammers come in many different ways of approaching their victims, of which unsolicited calls or text messages or emails appear to one to come from a legitimate source. These may tell you something like, ‘you have some legal issue which is involving you’ or that you owe a debt and an arrest warrant has been issued in your name. Remember to not get into an inappropriate conversation or share anything with them. If you receive a message or get a call from an unknown number or questionable source, do not start responding to them immediately. Confirm the validity of the message by reaching out to the agency or institution they claim to represent through their official lines of communication. It is always wise to be on the safe side.
5. Reporting suspicious activity in good time
Situations when one feels that they are under a Digital Arrest Scam should be responded to in good time. Do not take such a situation lightly, for timely reporting serves to help authorities preclude further criminality. In India, there is a dedicated portal called the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in/. This is the official reporting platform for reporting cybercrime incidents, which may involve scams like the Digital Arrest Scam. The portal lets you report the matter quickly and securely so that law enforcement can investigate the issue and track the identity thieves behind it. Besides, you can also call the cybercrime helpline at 1930[5] and can report this fraud and take the further action regarding it. Reporting in time will save you as well as others from such frauds that might happen next time.
6. Awareness about digital fraud
Education is the most significant and effective tool in the prevention of digital fraud. Stay updated on the latest scams and tricks fraudsters use. Educate yourself regularly on signposts digital scams: suspicious messages, phishing emails, or unsolicited calls. Share such knowledge with your family and friends, especially elderly people that are not used to modern technologies. They are usually the victims because they do not know how digital fraud mostly works, so elderly people are the biggest targets. By learning them the danger of the Digital Arrest Scams and how to detect them, you can save them from the clutches of scammers.
Also, it would do well to be abreast with the changing trends in cybersecurity. Knowing how to secure your online identity and identifying questionable online activities can actually be the most beneficial factors in protecting oneself. One may achieve this through subscription on cybersecurity blogs, workshops, or official government advisories against digital fraud.
Conclusion
This Digital Arrest scam is one of the advanced forms of cyber crime, conducted using the modern technology of taking advantage of people’s apprehension about law enforcements. This fraud comes in a very arrogant form, pitching through advanced technology forms of video calls and fake court papers. It is indeed a very shrewd fraud, but due to awareness, not believing everything that comes your way to the ends of this earth, and thinking at all times of how to always stay cool and sane, you can avoid its trap. These growing threats affect everybody in the digital age, so both people and organizations must be very careful regarding their personal and financial security.
[1] A. Ethirajan, Narendra Modi Warns Indians Against “Digital Arrest” Scam, BBC News (Nov. 07, 2024), https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze3302zxr9o
[2] Abhinandan, “Digital Arrest” Scam: Everything You Need to Know, AuthBridge (Nov. 10, 2024), https://authbridge.com/blog/what-is-the-digital-arrest-scam/
[3] Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations
[4] T.H. Bureau, What Is “Digital Arrest Scam” and How Can You Protect Yourself?, The Hindu (Nov. 05, 2024), https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/digital-arrest-scam-how-to-protect-yourself/article68806494.ece/amp/
[5] National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), https://i4c.mha.gov.in/ncrp.aspx, (Nov. 11, 2024).
Author: Anurag, Student at Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur.
