A senior citizen from Delhi was allegedly duped of ₹10.3 crore in an elaborate “digital arrest” cyber fraud, where scammers impersonated police and Enforcement Directorate officials to extort money over several days.
According to the complaint, the fraud began on September 25, 2024, when the victim received a call from a man claiming to be associated with an international logistics company. The caller alleged that a parcel sent to Beijing using the victim’s Aadhaar details had been flagged and returned.
Soon after, the victim was connected to another individual posing as a Mumbai police officer through a video call. The fraudster appeared in uniform and showed unclear documents to make the case appear legitimate. The situation was then escalated to another scammer impersonating a senior Enforcement Directorate official, who claimed the victim was linked to a serious financial crime.
Citing the victim’s age, the accused offered to conduct the “investigation” online and instructed him to cooperate by transferring funds to multiple bank accounts, claiming they were government-authorised. Between September 30 and October 11, the victim transferred ₹10.3 crore in several transactions and was even provided with fake receipts.
The victim remained in constant contact with the fraudsters through calls and online meetings until he eventually realised he had been cheated and stopped all communication.
The case was initially reported to Delhi Police and later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has now registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials are currently probing the phone numbers used and tracking suspected mule accounts linked to the scam.
