Lucknow — In yet another case of what police call a fast-spreading form of cyber fraud, scammers posing as law enforcement officers allegedly held a man in “digital custody” for hours and coerced his family into transferring ₹100,000.
According to the complaint, Vinay Kumar Gupta, a resident of Krishna Nagar, received a WhatsApp call on the morning of August 25 from an unfamiliar number. The caller introduced himself as an official from the Department of Telecommunications, claiming that Gupta’s SIM card had been linked to criminal activities and would soon be deactivated.
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Minutes later, Gupta was drawn into a video call with another man who presented a police identification card and claimed to be a senior officer from the Delhi Police.
The scammers told Gupta that he faced more than 60 cases of money laundering and fraud. To lend weight to their threats, they sent him digital copies of what appeared to be charge sheets and warrants. Under the pretext of recording his statement online, they kept him on call for nearly four hours — a tactic investigators now describe as a form of “digital arrest.”
Terrified, Gupta refrained from informing his family and, under pressure, transferred ₹100,000 from his account to one controlled by the fraudsters. Soon after receiving the money, the callers cut off all contact.
When the funds did not return after two days, Gupta confided in his brother — a police officer — and the fraud came to light. A case has since been registered at Krishna Nagar police station.
Expert Concerns
Professor Triveni Singh, a cybercrime expert and former IPS officer, said: “Digital arrest scams are among the fastest-growing cybercrimes in India. Fraudsters exploit the fear of law enforcement to exert psychological pressure. Awareness and swift reporting are the most effective safeguards.”
A Widening Problem
Over the past year, dozens of similar cases have surfaced across India, in which victims were virtually detained and coerced into transferring large sums of money. Investigators warn that cybercriminals are continuously devising new methods, often using spoofed identities and digital documents to trap unsuspecting citizens.