Coimbatore: Cyber fraudsters allegedly posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers trapped a 67-year-old retired government doctor in a ‘Digital Arrest’ scam and cheated her of ₹98 lakh. The accused allegedly contacted the woman through WhatsApp and claimed that suspicious financial transactions had been detected in her bank account. They then allegedly kept her under the threat of digital surveillance for several days and instructed her to transfer money to different bank accounts for investigation and verification. After receiving the money, the fraudsters allegedly stopped communicating with her. Based on her complaint, the Coimbatore City Cyber Crime police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
According to police sources, the fraudsters contacted the woman through WhatsApp and introduced themselves as CBI officers. During the conversation, they allegedly told her that certain transactions linked to her bank account had been identified as suspicious and could be connected to a financial crime. The fraudsters allegedly convinced her that her bank account was being investigated and that she needed to cooperate fully with the purported investigation to avoid legal action.
The cybercriminals then allegedly created fear of a ‘Digital Arrest’. The woman was made to believe that she was under the surveillance of officials until the investigation was completed and that failure to follow their instructions could lead to legal consequences. By invoking the name of a law enforcement agency and referring to an alleged investigation, the fraudsters allegedly placed the woman under sustained psychological pressure. She was then instructed to transfer money from her bank account to multiple accounts provided by the suspects as part of the purported verification process.
The accused allegedly assured the woman that the money transferred from her account would only be used for verification during the investigation and would be returned after the process was completed. According to police, the woman trusted the claims and transferred a total of ₹98 lakh to different bank accounts through multiple transactions. Even after the transfers, she was allegedly made to believe that the purported verification process was still underway.
After all the payments were completed, the accused allegedly stopped contacting her. The woman then realised that she had fallen victim to a cyber fraud and informed the police. Following her complaint, the Coimbatore City Cyber Crime police registered a case against the unidentified suspects and began investigating the incident.
Investigators are now collecting details of the bank accounts into which the woman transferred the money. Police are tracing the complete transaction trail to determine where the funds were subsequently moved. The account holders, mobile numbers, WhatsApp communications and other digital evidence are also being examined. Investigators are trying to establish how many people were involved in the fraud and whether the same group may have targeted other victims using a similar method.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said ‘Digital Arrest’ scams typically involve fraudsters impersonating police officers, CBI, ED or other law enforcement officials and creating fear of arrest or legal action. They then use phone calls, WhatsApp or video calls to maintain pressure and persuade victims to transfer money. No genuine law enforcement agency conducts a ‘Digital Arrest’ through a phone or video call or asks an individual to transfer money to a private bank account in the name of verification.
According to Coimbatore Cyber Crime police, more than 6,500 complaints related to online cheating have been received this year so far, with reported financial losses of around ₹48 crore. Police have urged people not to panic or transfer money when confronted with suspicious calls or video calls. In case of financial cyber fraud, victims should immediately inform their bank and report the incident through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by calling 1930, so that efforts can be made to prevent the fraudulent funds from being transferred further.
