Bengaluru Police Warn Citizens About Growing “Digital Arrest” Cybercrime Scam

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda has issued a warning to residents about a rising cybercrime, where fraudsters impersonate government officials and threaten victims with a fake “digital arrest.”

Commissioner Dayananda clarified that “digital arrest” is not recognized in Indian law or the Constitution. He emphasized, “Police actions are strictly governed by legal procedures. Arrests are made based on formal notices or physical detention, followed by presenting the individual before a magistrate within 24 hours.” He urged the public to stay vigilant and cautious.

The Commissioner advised citizens to avoid answering unknown calls or video calls and to never share sensitive personal information, such as Aadhaar or PAN numbers. He also recommended using the 1930 helpline to report and recover funds lost in cyber fraud cases. Dayananda reiterated that legitimate agencies never ask for private details through WhatsApp or phone calls.

The scam has resulted in significant financial losses. Recently, a 39-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru was duped out of Rs 11.8 crore. Additionally, an 83-year-old woman from Bengaluru fell victim to similar fraud, losing Rs 1.24 crore between October and November. The elderly woman reported the incident to the city’s cyber police after becoming suspicious of the scammers’ activities.