YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna Recounts 40-Hour Digital Arrest Ordeal: 'I Was Crying, Held Hostage'

Popular influencer Ankush Bahuguna shared a harrowing experience on Instagram on Sunday, revealing that he had been a victim of a digital arrest scam. The YouTuber recounted being held hostage by scammers for 40 hours, during which he suffered both financial and mental distress.

“I have been missing from social media and everywhere for the last three days. I was held hostage by some scammers for 40 hours… I have lost money, I have lost my mental health to this. I can’t believe this has happened to me,” Bahuguna shared.

How the Incident Unfolded

The ordeal began with a call from a suspicious number claiming that his courier delivery had been canceled. Bahuguna was instructed to press zero for further assistance. “It seemed like an international number. I picked it up without thinking much. It was an automated call that said your courier delivery had been canceled. Press zero for support,” he explained.

Pressing zero, which Bahuguna later described as “the biggest mistake of his life,” led him into the scam. The caller alleged that his name was linked to a package containing illegal substances, which had been seized by customs. The package, they claimed, was en route to China.

Despite denying any involvement, Bahuguna was informed that his Aadhaar number and other personal details were connected to the package. The scammers told him he was now under “digital arrest,” adding, “This is a very serious crime.”

The situation escalated as the call transitioned to a WhatsApp video call where Bahuguna was interrogated by individuals posing as police officers. “They extracted every possible information out of me,” he recounted.

He was instructed to isolate himself from friends and family, switch off all appliances at home, and share his screen for constant monitoring. For 40 hours, Bahuguna remained on the video call, unable to respond to messages or phone calls.

The scammers even forced him into visiting a bank to make suspicious transactions. The transactions didn’t go through as the bank was closed.

The Turning Point

Bahuguna realized the scam only after a friend, sensing something was wrong, reached out to him about the fraud and told him about “digital arrests”. “I feel so lucky to have friends with such strong instincts who noticed a change in my behavior, even when they were getting ‘I’m okay’ texts from me. They literally saved my life,” he shared.

He emphasized that scams like these prey on fear and panic. “The thing with these scams is if you buy one lie, they will tell 10 more, and those will be scarier things,” he added.

Bahuguna urged his followers to remain vigilant and informed, highlighting the increase in the cases of such scams. “Not everybody reacts the same way to panic. Instead of calling this stupid, make people around you aware of it,” he advised.