Senior Citizen in Bhubaneswar Duped of ₹1.5 Crore in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam

Bhubaneswar: In a shocking incident, a senior citizen in Bhubaneswar lost ₹1.5 crore to cyber fraudsters who allegedly kept him under a “digital arrest” for ten days.

According to police sources, the victim was contacted by individuals posing as officials from the Customs Department. They falsely claimed that his bank account was linked to a money-laundering case and threatened him with legal action unless he complied with their instructions.

Under pressure, the victim reportedly transferred ₹70 lakh initially and another ₹80 lakh later, amounting to a total loss of ₹1.5 crore.

After he realised the fraud and lodged a complaint, the Cybercrime Police managed to freeze ₹12 lakh from the siphoned amount.

Officials said that such scams often target vulnerable individuals, particularly senior citizens, by using fake identities of government or enforcement agencies to instill fear and coercion.

Authorities have urged the public to stay alert and verify any such claims directly through official channels instead of responding to unsolicited calls or messages.

No official comments were available from the Cyber Police Station regarding the ongoing investigation.