A fresh case of a digital arrest cyber fraud has surfaced in Bengaluru, where a 46-year-old warehouse in-charge employed with a private company was allegedly duped of ₹3.2 lakh by fraudsters posing as officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The accused allegedly used a fake arrest warrant during WhatsApp video calls and convinced the victim that he was facing imminent arrest unless he complied with their instructions. The fraud came to light only after the victim informed his company’s Managing Director (MD), who identified it as a cyber scam.
According to the police complaint, the incident occurred on August 1, when the victim received multiple WhatsApp video calls from an individual identifying himself as V. Kumar, claiming to be an officer from the NIA. The caller allegedly told the victim that his name had surfaced in a serious investigation and that an arrest warrant had already been issued against him. He was then pressured to follow the caller’s instructions immediately to avoid arrest.
The complaint states that the fraudsters kept the victim under constant psychological pressure, warning that he would be arrested if he failed to transfer ₹3.2 lakh without delay. Fearing legal action, the victim transferred the amount to the bank account specified by the accused.
After receiving the money, the fraudsters assured the victim that the amount would be deposited with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for verification and would be returned within 24 hours after the completion of the process. Believing the claim, the victim initially did not suspect that he had been defrauded.
The scam was uncovered when the victim later informed his company’s Managing Director about the incident. The MD immediately recognised it as a digital arrest cyber fraud. The victim then contacted the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930), where his complaint was registered, and he was advised to lodge a formal complaint with the local police.
In his complaint, the victim also alleged that the fraudsters had misused his company’s Managing Director’s identity and photograph to make the deception appear more credible. Investigators suspect the accused may have collected information about the company and its officials from social media platforms or other publicly available sources to strengthen their impersonation.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation by analysing financial transactions, bank accounts, mobile numbers, WhatsApp call records, and other digital evidence. Investigators are tracing the flow of funds to identify the accounts through which the money was routed and to establish the network involved in the fraud.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that digital arrest syndicates exploit fear and psychological pressure to force victims into making immediate financial decisions. He emphasized that no central investigative agency or law enforcement authority asks people to transfer money through WhatsApp video calls or in the name of investigation or verification. If anyone claiming to represent the NIA, CBI, ED, police, or any other government agency demands money or directs a person to transfer funds for verification, the claims should be independently verified, and the matter should be reported immediately to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the official cybercrime reporting portal. According to him, awareness, verification, and prompt reporting remain the most effective safeguards against such cyber frauds.
