A retired government couple living in Indore’s Aerodrome locality spent three harrowing days under what investigators are now calling “digital custody” — a new, psychologically coercive method used by cybercriminals. The couple was kept under continuous surveillance on video calls, threatened with arrest, and shown fabricated visuals of police stations and courtrooms to make them believe they were under official investigation. A newspaper report on a similar case finally triggered suspicion, following which the victims reached out to the State Cyber Cell, preventing a major financial loss.
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Newspaper report becomes the turning point
According to SP (Cyber), the woman — a retired principal of a government higher secondary school — and her husband, a former bank officer, realised something was amiss when they read a detailed news report describing a “digital arrest” fraud that matched their experience.
They immediately contacted the Cyber Cell and narrated how unknown callers claiming to be CBI officers had been keeping them under constant video surveillance for nearly three days.
Cyber Cell’s swift response
Inspector Sarita Singh and Sub-Inspector Ashish Jain rushed to the couple’s residence. Their first actions were to:
- Remove the scammers’ remote access and control from the couple’s devices
- Block all suspicious numbers
- Register the case on the NCRP portal
- Counsel the couple and guide them through recovery protocols
Only after the intervention did the victims fully comprehend that they had been trapped by a sophisticated cybercrime network.
The first call: Fear of CBI action
The ordeal began with a routine-sounding phone call. The fraudsters introduced themselves as CBI officers and claimed that a fake bank account in Mumbai, allegedly opened using the woman’s Aadhaar details, had been used for transactions running into crores of rupees.
When the couple ignored the calls, the threats escalated.
One caller warned:
“A CBI team can arrest you any moment and take you to Mumbai.”
The scammers accused the couple of allowing misuse of their Aadhaar for illegal financial activity, alleging that they had taken “commission” for it. Fake police stations and courts on video calls Soon, the fraudsters shifted to video calls, showing: doctored visuals of Mumbai Police logos, fake courtrooms and imitation police station backdrops
The objective was clear: intimidate the couple into believing they were in the middle of an official criminal inquiry. The scammers ordered them to keep their phone cameras switched on at all times, effectively placing them under digital surveillance.
The couple, terrified, complied with every instruction. On one occasion, when their domestic help entered the room, the scammers furiously reprimanded them, saying “No one is allowed inside during an active investigation.”
Fraudsters flee when confronted with real Cyber Police
When the Cyber Cell team reached the house, the scammers were still on the video call. The moment they spotted the uniformed inspector on the victims’ screen, the fraudsters instantly turned off their camera, removed the fake police emblem, and disconnected.
Timely intervention prevented a major loss
Officials said that had the couple reached out even a few hours later, the fraudsters would likely have coerced them into transferring a significant amount of money.
SP noted:
“Digital custody is one of the most dangerous emerging forms of cybercrime. Victims give in due to psychological pressure, believing they are under real government surveillance.”
Cyber Cell advisory: No government agency conducts investigations over video calls
The Cyber Cell has urged citizens to remember:
- No official agency conducts inquiries on video calls
- Do not share Aadhaar, OTP, banking, or KYC details
- Report any threatening call immediately to 1930 or the nearest Cyber Cell
