A resident of Aarey Colony in Mumbai was allegedly duped of ₹32.7 lakh in a digital arrest scam, where fraudsters posing as police officials used fake calls and documents to extort money.
The scam began on February 11, when the woman received a call from a man speaking in Tamil, claiming to be a sub-inspector from Chennai Police. He alleged that her SIM card had been used by a terrorist linked to a major attack and gave her a case number to make the claim sound real. Soon after, the call was escalated to another “officer” who appeared to have detailed knowledge about her past, including her move from Tamil Nadu to Mumbai and information about her family.
The situation intensified when she was connected to someone posing as a Mumbai ATS official. In a video call, the man appeared in a police uniform, sitting with files in the background, adding to the illusion of authenticity. He even asked her to show her entire house on camera to ensure no one else was present.
Over the next few days, the fraudsters kept her under pressure. She was told to download an app and was sent documents like an FIR, arrest warrant, and confidentiality agreement, all of which later turned out to be fake. The scammers also threatened that her son, who was abroad at the time, could be arrested upon his return.
Fearing legal trouble, the woman complied. Between February 11 and 16, she transferred a total of ₹32.7 lakh, believing her money was being “verified” and would be returned if found legitimate.
The scam only came to light when her son returned from Berlin and realised what had happened. The family then approached the Cyber Police.
In the latest development, Mumbai Police have arrested three accused from Gujarat, including a man who claimed to be a former Ranji cricketer. Officials say these individuals were involved in channeling the stolen money to the main masterminds. With this, the total number of arrests in the case has gone up to seven.
The case highlights how increasingly sophisticated “digital arrest” scams are becoming, with fraudsters using fear, impersonation, and technology to manipulate victims into parting with large sums of money.
