Elderly Woman Duped of ₹14 Lakh in Digital Arrest Scam

A 67-year-old woman from Mumbai was a victim of a sophisticated online fraud scheme, resulting in her being coerced into paying ₹14 lakh to fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials. The incident, categorized as a “digital arrest,” involved scammers claiming that she was under investigation for a non-existent money laundering case.

According to police, the scam unfolded between September 1 and 5, when the woman received a call from someone claiming to be from the Delhi Telecom Department. They informed her that her Aadhaar card had been linked to illegal activities. The scammers, posing as personnel from the Cyber Crime branch, threatened her with legal consequences and urged her to act immediately to clear her name.

Under pressure and fear of arrest, the victim followed their instructions to withdraw her savings, fixed deposits, and mutual funds, ultimately transferring ₹14 lakh to a designated bank account. She was promised a refund after a verification process. It was only after speaking with her son that she realized she had been scammed and subsequently reported the incident to the police.

This case highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber fraud tactics, where scammers exploit victims’ fears to extract large sums of money.