COIMBATORE: A senior doctor in Coimbatore narrowly escaped financial ruin after scammers impersonating Mumbai cybercrime officials coerced him into transferring approximately ₹2.9 crore in a “digital-arrest” fraud. Thanks to proactive action by Tamil Nadu’s Cyber Crime Wing, the assault was halted before the complete loss of an entire fortune was realised.
Isolation, Intimidation, and Mounting Transfers
On June 27, the doctor, in his fifties, received a call from a voice claiming to be from the Mumbai cybercrime police, accusing him of involvement in cyber fraud. Threatened with immediate arrest, he was instructed to transfer funds to purported “safe accounts,” all under the guise of cooperation. Within a matter of hours, nearly ₹2.9 crore was drained from his accounts until state cyber sleuths, monitoring a simultaneous Jharkhand case, traced his activity and intervened .
When law enforcement arrived, the doctor was psychologically immobilised, remaining inside his home, convinced of his “digital arrest” and apprehensive about answering the door. It took more than two hours of patient persuasion before officials convinced him he had been scammed . Once he cooperated, authorities secured his banking channels to prevent any further withdrawals.
A Scandalous New Weapon in Cybercrime
“Digital-arrest” scams exploit victims’ fear by simulating law enforcement authority via phone or video. The fraudsters often draw victims deeper by issuing threats of FIRs, payments, or forced “cooperation” to avoid jail.
This incident parallels several other documented cases: a 73-year-old Mumbai doctor lost ₹2.89 crore before authorities froze ₹1.29 crore in time , and a Göttten pathologist in Mumbai fell prey to ₹46 lakh in a similar manner . Such confidence tricks prey on trust in uniformed authority and victims’ lack of familiarity with digital law enforcement protocols.
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Cybercrime Units Urge Vigilance
SP Shahnaz Illyas of the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing emphasised the importance of early detection and reporting. “We urge citizens to treat any unsolicited calls claiming legal authority with deep suspicion,” she said. Experts recommend verifying caller identity independently, never surrendering large sums under duress, and immediately contacting the federal cybercrime helpline at 1930 or filing official complaints online at cybercrime.gov.in.
