Bengaluru: Senior citizens in Bengaluru are increasingly becoming prime targets for sophisticated online scams. The latest case involves a 94-year-old senior researcher who lost ₹4.9 crore after fraudsters staged a fake “digital arrest.” Claiming to be CBI and Ballari police officers, the criminals intimidated the elderly man, isolating him and forcing him to transfer money in multiple stages.
The senior citizen, residing near Victoria Road, lodged a complaint with the Central Division Cyber Police Station. Authorities said the scammers threatened him with a fabricated human trafficking case to coerce the transfer of money.
This incident comes shortly after a major cyber fraud in Belagavi, in which a businessman lost ₹15 crore to scammers pretending to be investigating a money laundering case. Experts note that senior citizens are particularly vulnerable because they are less familiar with digital scams and can be easily manipulated through fear and psychological pressure.
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How the Scam Unfolded
On February 12, the researcher received a call on his landline from an unknown person claiming to be a BESCOM employee. The caller informed him that a human trafficking case had been filed against him at Ballari police station and that a police inspector would contact him soon. The call was abruptly ended after delivering this warning.
Shortly thereafter, a man named ‘Sandeep Rao’ called from mobile number 70223200069, claiming to be a CBI officer. He told the researcher that the case was being transferred to the CBI and requested his Aadhaar card details via WhatsApp. After receiving the details, he sent a fake FIR on WhatsApp to make the case appear legitimate.
The scam escalated when the researcher received video calls from multiple WhatsApp numbers (+9384538542, +8790619580, +8438454683, 9652706938, 8945570794). A man dressed in a police-style uniform claimed to be a CBI officer and warned, “You are under digital arrest. You cannot speak to anyone.”
₹4.9 Crore Extorted in Multiple Stages
The fraudster instructed the victim to reply to WhatsApp messages every three hours to confirm compliance. He warned that the matter was serious and demanded money to remove the researcher’s name from the fake investigation. Terrified and isolated, the senior citizen transferred a total of ₹4.9 crore in multiple installments.
- Fraudsters’ Strategy:
- Initial call posed as a BESCOM employee and warned of a fake Ballari case.
- Threatened victim with police involvement and promised an inspector call.
- ‘Sandeep Rao’ posed as a CBI officer, requested Aadhaar details, and sent a fake FIR.
- Video calls reinforced the “digital arrest” threat.
- Victim was instructed to reply every three hours via WhatsApp.
- Psychological pressure and isolation forced transfers totaling ₹4.9 crore.
Expert Warning
Renowned Cyber Crime Expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said, “In ‘digital arrest’ scams, senior citizens are trapped through fear and isolation. Victims often transfer large sums due to concern for personal safety and family. Sharing personal information over unknown calls or messages can be extremely dangerous.”
Prof. Singh urged the public to stay vigilant and adopt cybersecurity measures. He advised senior citizens not to share personal information over unknown calls or WhatsApp messages and to report any suspicious requests to the police immediately.
