An 82-year-old former NRI in Gujarat’s Surat district allegedly lost ₹2.96 crore after cyber fraudsters posing as Mumbai Police officials threatened to implicate him in a money laundering case as part of a ‘digital arrest’ scam. The victim approached the Bardoli police after realising he had been defrauded, following which an offence was registered against unidentified persons and cybercrime teams were roped in to trace the accused.
The victim, identified as Prabhubhai Patel, is a resident of Bardoli town in Surat district. Patel moved to the United States in 1980 and lived in Mississippi. After retirement, he and his wife Damyanti returned to Bardoli, where they have been living since 2007. Their three children are settled in the US.
According to the police complaint, Patel received a WhatsApp message on August 8 mentioning “Mumbai Police headquarters”. He subsequently received a call from the same number. A woman on the call allegedly identified herself as a Mumbai Police officer and claimed that a bank account had been opened using Patel’s Aadhaar details and that the account had been used for money laundering involving ₹122 crore.
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The fraudsters allegedly told Patel that he had been placed under “digital arrest” in connection with the case. They further threatened that his family and residence were being monitored and that all his bank accounts would be frozen if he failed to follow their instructions.
Later, another caller allegedly introduced himself as a senior Mumbai Police officer and warned Patel of serious consequences. The caller reportedly asked him to “arrange funds”, claiming that the money would be returned once the investigation was completed.
₹2.96 crore transferred within 11 days
Under pressure from the alleged fraudsters, Patel transferred a total of ₹2.96 crore to multiple bank accounts between August 11 and 21. Police are now examining the beneficiary accounts and the subsequent movement of the money to identify the people behind the fraud.
The alleged scam came to light on August 31, when Patel spoke to his sons in the US and narrated the sequence of events. His family suspected that he had been targeted by cyber fraudsters and advised him to approach the police.
Bardoli police subsequently registered a case against unidentified persons. Investigators are examining the bank transactions and digital evidence to trace the suspected fraud network.
Expert explains how ‘digital arrest’ scams operate
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said fraudsters involved in ‘digital arrest’ scams typically begin by creating fear that the victim has been linked to a serious criminal offence. They then impersonate police officers, investigators or other government officials and maintain prolonged communication to prevent the victim from verifying the claims.
He said senior citizens are often targeted because fraudsters exploit their fear of law enforcement agencies and their unfamiliarity with cybercrime tactics. Any demand from a purported investigating agency to transfer money for an investigation, verification or release of funds should be treated as a major warning sign.
Victims should immediately disconnect the call and independently contact the police or the appropriate cybercrime authorities rather than following instructions issued by unknown callers.
Police trace bank accounts and digital trail
Bardoli police inspector V.A. Sengal said an offence had been registered against unidentified persons and that cybercrime investigation teams were assisting in efforts to identify and arrest the accused.
Investigators are focusing on the bank accounts into which the ₹2.96 crore was transferred. They are examining account holders, transaction chains and the movement of funds to determine where the money went after it was received.
Police are also investigating how the fraudsters obtained Patel’s personal information and whether the same group may have targeted other victims using a similar method.
The investigation is now focused on digital evidence, banking records and communication details that could help establish the identities of the accused and uncover the wider network behind the alleged ‘digital arrest’ scam.
