Retired Indore Doctor Loses ₹4.32 Crore in Digital Arrest Scam; Three Arrested

In a shocking case of cybercrime, a 65-year-old retired medical officer from Indore has been cheated of ₹4.32 crore by cybercriminals using the now-common digital arrest scam. The victim was kept under pressure for nearly a month, as the fraudsters posed as government officials and fabricated a false legal case to extort money.

The State Cyber Cell has arrested three people and is searching for more accused believed to be part of a larger interstate cyber network.

How the scam began

According to State Cyber Cell SP (Cyber) Savyasachi Sarraf, the victim, originally from Gwalior and now living in Indore with his wife, received a call on September 21. The caller claimed to be a senior official from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The fraudster told him that two of his mobile numbers were being used for illegal activities and were linked to a ₹538-crore money laundering case. They further claimed that his Aadhaar and bank accounts had been misused in a financial crime involving Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal.

Fake courtroom and impersonation

To make the scam look real, the criminals asked the victim to join a video call. On the call, they created a fake virtual courtroom, where different people posed as:

• Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers

• Police officials

• A Supreme Court judge

The victim was threatened with arrest, bank account freeze, and property seizure if he did not follow their instructions.

How money was extorted

The accused told the victim that his financial assets needed to be “verified”. Under continuous fear and psychological pressure, he shared details of:

• Bank accounts

• Fixed deposits

• Mutual funds and shares

• Jewellery

• Real estate

For the next several weeks, he was instructed to transfer money into various bank accounts as part of a fake “verification process”. Believing the calls were from genuine authorities, the victim transferred ₹4.32 crore to accounts in Gujarat, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.

How the fraud was detected

Unusual transactions triggered alerts in the banking system. When bank officials contacted the victim and noticed inconsistencies, they informed the cyber police. Investigators traced the money flow and arrested three accused. More arrests are expected.

Digital arrest scams rising

Officials say such scams are increasing rapidly. Cybercriminals now use:

• Deepfake video calls

• Spoofed phone numbers

• Fake legal documents

These scams rely on fear and pressure rather than hacking.

Cyber advisory for the public

Authorities have issued a strong warning:

• No government agency conducts investigations on WhatsApp, video calls, or personal phone calls.

• Agencies never ask citizens to transfer money for verification.

Suspicious calls should be reported immediately at:
Cyber Helpline: 1930
Website: cybercrime.gov.in