Noida: Woman Doctor Duped of ₹59 Lakh in 'Digital Arrest' Scam, Was Told She Circulated Porn

New Delhi: A Noida-based woman Dr Puja Goyal recently lost ₹59 lakh after scammers tricked her into a 'digital arrest' for 48 hours.

What Led to The Incident?

Dr Goyal, residing in Noida Sector 77, got a call on July 13 from an unknown individual pretending to be an official from the Telephone Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The caller claimed her phone was used to share pornographic videos. When she denied his claims, the caller convinced her to join a video call. The scammers threatened her with serious consequences and said she was under a digital arrest.

After 48 hours of being grilled, Dr Goyal transferred ₹59.54 lakh into an account. After realising she had been scammed, she filed a police complaint on Monday, July 22, at the cybercrime cell in Noida Sector 36.

What Is Digital Arrest?

Digital Arrest is a modus operandi that is gradually gaining momentum in Delhi-NCR to dupe unsuspecting individuals and rob them off their money.

It is a tactic that is becoming a preferred method for scammers to scare and dupe people. They often confine their targets to a house and pretend to be law enforcement officers using fake IDs.

'Digital Arrest' Is Fast Emerging, Says Cybercrime ACP

Vivek Ranjan Rai, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cybercrime), said they had the account details where the money was sent and were verifying the same to take action.

10 Such Cases Reported, Says Cybercrime Team

Earlier, a 72-year-old woman from Delhi's Chittaranjan Park area was scammed for ₹83 lakh. She was told her phone was being used for criminal activities and was interrogated for over 12 hours.

Noida police recently issued an advisory warning people about such scams. "In recent months, around 10 such incidents have been reported, leading to registered FIRs and ongoing investigations," the advisory stated.

The police highlighted the need to verify suspicious calls, especially those made via WhatsApp or video calls. They recommended checking the caller's credentials through official channels.

"If a suspicious call claims that legal action is being taken or asks for personal or financial information, citizens should immediately report it to the nearest police station or cyber cell," the advisory said.