Bengaluru: A woman from Bengaluru allegedly fell victim to a prolonged and sophisticated “digital arrest” cyber scam, losing more than ₹2 crore after being psychologically manipulated by fraudsters over several months. The accused reportedly forced her to sell two plots of land, an apartment and even take a bank loan to meet their demands, police said on Tuesday.
The victim, a resident of New Thippasandra, lives with her 10-year-old son. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on November 27 at the Whitefield Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police station after she realised that she had been conned.
How the scam began
Bengaluru police said the ordeal began on June 19, when the woman received a phone call from a person claiming to be an official from a courier company, Blue Dart. The caller allegedly informed her that drugs and suspicious parcels linked to her Aadhaar number had been seized and that the Mumbai police were preparing to arrest her in connection with the case.
Soon after, other fraudsters contacted her, posing as Mumbai police officers. They threatened her with serious legal action, including arrest and imprisonment, unless she fully cooperated with their “investigation”.
‘Digital arrest’ and psychological pressure
According to police, the scammers instructed the woman to install certain mobile applications that allowed them to monitor and control her communications. She was ordered to remain indoors, avoid contacting anyone and not disclose the matter to friends, family or neighbours until the supposed investigation was completed.
Investigators said the criminals deliberately isolated her, a tactic commonly used in “digital arrest” scams to prevent victims from seeking help or verifying claims.
“While collecting primary details, the accused found out that she had a 10-year-old son and used that as a tool to instil fear,” a police officer said. “They told her that even her child could be arrested and jailed if she did not cooperate.”
Forced to sell properties and take loan
Under sustained pressure and fear, the woman allegedly complied with their demands between June 19 and November 27. During this period, she transferred money multiple times to accounts provided by the fraudsters.
As per the FIR, she sold her apartment in Vignan Nagar at a distress price and also sold two plots of land in Malur at significantly lower-than-market rates. When the funds from these sales were exhausted, she reportedly took a bank loan to continue paying the accused.
In total, the woman transferred ₹2,05,16,652 through 22 separate transactions. The highest single transfer amounted to ₹70 lakh, police said.
Realisation at police station
After extracting the money, the cybercriminals allegedly instructed the woman to visit a police station to obtain a ‘no-objection certificate’ that would supposedly clear her name.
It was only when she walked into the Whitefield police station and narrated her ordeal that officers realised she had been the victim of a cyber fraud. Police immediately registered a case and began tracing the money trail.
Case registered, probe underway
The Whitefield CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(c) and 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, which deal with identity theft and cheating by personation using computer resources. Charges have also been invoked under Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Officials said efforts are underway to identify the accused, track bank accounts used in the scam and recover any remaining funds.
Rising cybercrime losses in Karnataka
Bengaluru police said the case reflects a worrying rise in cybercrime across Karnataka. Over the last three years, the state has recorded losses of ₹5,473.97 crore across 57,733 cybercrime cases. Of this, only around 11.5 per cent of the defrauded amount has been recovered.
On average, Karnataka lost about ₹6.05 crore per day to cybercrime during this period, while daily recoveries stood at just around ₹60 lakh. Data shows that in 2023, victims had a one-in-five chance of recovering some of their money, a figure that declined sharply to just one in 16 by 2025.
“The nature of cybercrimes has evolved significantly,” a senior police officer said. “While cryptocurrency-related fraud has reduced, job scams, matrimonial fraud and digital arrest scams have increased. Financial losses are now much higher, and criminals manipulate victims over hours, days or even months.”
Conclusion
Police have once again urged citizens to remain cautious and remember that no law enforcement agency conducts investigations or arrests over phone or video calls. Officials have advised people to immediately contact local police or the cybercrime helpline if they receive threatening calls demanding money. The Bengaluru case stands as a stark reminder of how prolonged psychological manipulation can lead to devastating financial losses if timely verification and reporting are not done.