The alleged fraud began on July 14, when the doctor’s wife received a call from a person claiming to represent a courier company. The caller reportedly told her that an illegal parcel booked in her name was being sent to Mumbai.
The couple was then allegedly connected to another caller who claimed to be a senior officer of a fictitious cybercrime agency.
The fraudsters reportedly told the couple that their Aadhaar details had been misused to open a bank account allegedly linked to money laundering and terror financing involving the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).
Using these claims, the suspects allegedly demanded money from the couple, saying it was necessary to clear their names and cooperate with the investigation.
Fraudsters Posed As ED And NIA Officials
The intimidation allegedly continued through WhatsApp video calls, where the suspects impersonated officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and National Investigation Agency (NIA).
They reportedly warned the couple against discussing the matter with anyone and repeatedly invoked “national security” to make the fake investigation appear legitimate.
The fraudsters allegedly gathered detailed information about the couple’s finances, including their bank accounts, fixed deposits, LIC policies, gold and property holdings.
According to the doctor’s complaint, the couple was subsequently instructed to move money from multiple accounts.
The doctor allegedly closed fixed deposits, withdrew money from LIC policies and even took a ₹50 lakh personal loan against his house before transferring a total of ₹1.79 crore to accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
Son Helped Expose The Fraud
The alleged scam came to light after the doctor’s son, a software engineer based in Bengaluru, visited his parents on August 21.
He reportedly recognised the pattern as similar to other digital arrest scams and informed his father that genuine law enforcement agencies do not conduct investigations by keeping victims on video calls and demanding money for “verification” or to prove their innocence.
The doctor subsequently approached the police, and his complaint was filed on August 28.
The Kalaburagi CEN police have registered a case relating to identity theft and cheating. Investigators are now working to trace the money trail, freeze suspected bank accounts and examine call records and other digital evidence.
What Is A Digital Arrest Scam?
In a digital arrest scam, criminals impersonate police officers, ED officials, CBI officers, judges or other government authorities. Victims are falsely accused of serious crimes and threatened with arrest.
The scammers then use fear, secrecy and prolonged video calls to isolate victims and pressure them into transferring money.
No genuine investigation agency can place a person under “digital arrest” over a video call or demand money to prove innocence.
