A Class 8 student from Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a real-life hero after his quick thinking saved his parents from falling victim to a ‘digital arrest’ scam involving fraudsters posing as NIA officials.
A 13-year-old Tanmay Saxena from Bareilly prevented a potential financial loss of Rs 6 lakh after growing suspicious during a video call in which scammers attempted to intimidate his parents using a fake arrest warrant.
According to a report by The Times of India, the accused had demanded sensitive details including bank account information, valuables, and property records. However, Tanmay, who had recently read about similar scams in a newspaper, sensed something was wrong and urged his father to immediately disconnect the call by switching the phone to flight mode. The family then alerted the police.
Recognising his presence of mind, the boy was felicitated by senior Uttar Pradesh Police officials, including ADG Ramit Sharma, SSP Bareilly Anurag Arya, and other officials.
ADG Ramit Sharma told The Times of India, “We will also host programmes in schools to make other students aware about cyberfraud. The boy told us that he also keenly follows police campaigns against cyberfraud in newspapers.”
Police officials further stated that Tanmay is likely to be appointed as the brand ambassador for their upcoming cyber fraud awareness campaign in the region.
SSP Anurag Arya added, “Whenever he speaks about any digital campaign, we will amplify it on social media.”
An FIR has been registered in the case, and authorities have frozen all bank accounts of Tanmay’s father, Sanjay Saxena, a bakery owner, as a precautionary measure to safeguard funds.
“We will arrest the accused soon,” Arya said.
The incident highlights the growing threat of ‘digital arrest’ scams in India, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement agencies to extort money, and underscores the importance of awareness and vigilance even among young citizens.
