New Delhi: An 83-year-old retired woman doctor from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly held under a so-called “digital arrest” for five days and defrauded of ₹18.50 lakh by cyber criminals. According to police, the fraudsters first posed as employees of the Airtel head office before transferring the call to another person claiming to be a Maharashtra Police officer. The victim was threatened with arrest and accused of involvement in a money laundering investigation. Under sustained psychological pressure, she disclosed details of her bank accounts, fixed deposits (FDs), post office savings and other investments before being persuaded to transfer substantial amounts into bank accounts described as “safe government accounts.” A cyber police investigation is now underway.
Police said the incident began on July 13, when the retired doctor, a resident of Sector 30 in Noida, received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to represent Airtel’s head office and alleged that her Aadhaar details had been used to open a bank account involved in money laundering and other criminal activities. The call was then transferred to another individual who introduced himself as an officer of the Maharashtra Police.
The fraudsters warned the woman that the matter was extremely serious and instructed her not to communicate with anyone until the investigation was completed. They claimed she would face immediate arrest and legal action if she failed to comply. Through continuous phone and video calls, the accused allegedly kept her under constant surveillance, creating intense psychological pressure and isolating her from family members and others.
During the purported verification process, the fraudsters obtained detailed information about her bank accounts, fixed deposits, post office investments and other financial assets. On July 14, they told her that the investigation required her funds to be transferred temporarily into a “secure government account.” Acting on these instructions, the woman visited an Indian Bank branch in Sector 30, prematurely closed one of her fixed deposits and transferred ₹10.50 lakh through RTGS to the account specified by the fraudsters.
The accused allegedly continued monitoring her through video and phone calls even after the first transfer. On July 17, they again claimed that additional verification was required and convinced her to transfer another ₹8 lakh to a different bank account. Within five days, the fraudsters had allegedly extracted a total of ₹18.50 lakh from the victim. The fraud came to light only after family members and acquaintances became aware of the incident, prompting a complaint to the cyber police.
A case has been registered at the cyber police station, and investigators are examining the bank accounts, mobile numbers, call detail records, IP addresses, digital payment trails and other electronic evidence used by the suspects. Authorities are also investigating whether the same network has targeted other senior citizens in similar digital arrest scams across different states.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said cyber criminals frequently impersonate officials from the police, CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), telecom companies or banks to create both fear and credibility. He noted that senior citizens are particularly vulnerable because they may have limited familiarity with digital systems and legal procedures, making them more susceptible to psychological manipulation. He stressed that there is no legal provision in India for placing anyone under a “digital arrest” through a phone or video call. Any demand to transfer money into a so-called “safe account” for investigation purposes should be treated as a clear indicator of cyber fraud.
Several high-value digital arrest scams have been reported in recent years. In July 2026, a retired LIC manager allegedly lost ₹35 lakh in a similar fraud. Other reported cases include a woman lawyer who lost ₹3.29 crore in July 2025, an elderly victim allegedly kept under digital arrest for 13 days and defrauded of ₹59 lakh, a woman who lost ₹50 lakh in June 2025, and a mother and daughter who were cheated of ₹36 lakh in December 2024. Experts have urged the public to remain vigilant, never share banking or personal information with unknown callers, and immediately report suspected cyber fraud to the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
