Indore couple escapes digital arrest scam after timely newspaper alert

Indore: A retired bank employee and his wife narrowly escaped a digital arrest scam after enduring three days of intimidation and round-the-clock surveillance by cyber fraudsters. The couple contacted the state cyber cell on Saturday after reading a newspaper report about a similar case involving a retired medical officer.

According to SP Sabyasachi Saraf, the fraudsters had been calling the couple from unknown numbers, posing as CBI officials and citing details from their Aadhaar cards to appear credible. Three days earlier, the scammers claimed that a bank account using the couple’s Aadhaar details had been opened in Mumbai and used for transactions worth crores. They accused the couple of earning illegal commission and threatened immediate arrest.

The callers then switched to video calls, showing staged visuals resembling police stations and courtrooms. They ordered the couple to keep their camera on 24×7, effectively placing them under virtual confinement. The next day, when a domestic helper entered their room, the fraudsters reprimanded the couple, insisting no one should be allowed inside.

After recognising similarities with the newspaper report, the couple approached the cyber cell. A team led by inspector Sarita Singh and sub-inspector Ashish Jain reached their home near the airport, halted the ongoing video surveillance, blocked suspicious numbers, and helped them file an NCRP complaint. As soon as the fraudsters saw a police uniform on the video call, they abruptly disconnected and flashed a fake Mumbai Police logo before going silent.

Officials said timely intervention prevented financial loss and underscored how fear, coercion, and misinformation are increasingly being used to target senior citizens. Investigations are underway to trace the culprits and identify possible links to other digital arrest cases.