Mumbai-Based Senior Citizen Placed Under 'Digital Arrest', Forced to Pay Rs 14 Lakh

Mumbai: A 67-year-old Mumbai-based woman was placed under "digital arrest" by online fraudsters, who forced her to pay Rs 14 lakh in exchange of clearing her name in a n-existent money laundering case, police have said.

As per visory of cyber-security ncy CERT-In, a digital arrest is one in which victims receive a phone call, an e-mail or a mess claiming y are under investigation for illegal activities, such as identity ft or money laundering.

" scammer threatens victim with arrest or legal consequences unless he takes immediate action. y often create a sense of panic to prevent rational thinking. Under guise of "clearing ir name", "assisting with investigation" or "refundable security deposit/escrow account", individuals are coerced into transferring large sums of money to specified bank accounts or UPI IDs," visory said.

Speaking about case involving elderly woman, a police official on Monday said, " accused posed as Delhi Telecom Department and Cyber Crime branch personnel. y placed her under 'digital arrest' after accusing her of being involved in a high-profile money laundering case. crime took place between September 1 and 5. victim stays in Mumbai's Kandivali West with her sister-in-law." "A case was registered on Saturday on her complaint at rth Region Cyber police station. As per complaint, woman received a call on September 1 from a person who identified himself as an official of Delhi Telecom Department. She was told that a case was registered against her at Delhi Cyber crime branch. accused told woman that her Ahaar card was used in crime," he said.

accused n got her to speak to his accomplice, who posed as cyber crime branch officer Rakesh Kumar, official ded.

"After being shown three fake Delhi police letters and told that she could be jailed for three to five years by Kumar and a woman accused who identified herself as Shobha Sharma, victim got scared. Sharma n asked victim about her bank accounts and mutual funds, fixed deposits and also asked her to go to bank and deposit all investments in bank account provided by her," he said.

"On Sharma's instructions, victim went to bank, broke fixed deposits, mutual funds as well as savings and deposited Rs 14 lakh in given account number through RTGS. caller promised to return money after verification. woman realised she h been cheated after talking to her son, following which she approached police," official said. 

(Except for heline, this story has t been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)