Educate seniors about modus operandi of fraud

An 82-year-old retired Maharashtra government officer recently lost his entire life savings—%1.19 crore—toa “digital arrest” scam and died soon after due to shock.

- SANJEEV SINHA

The Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognisance of a similar fraud in Ambala, where cybercriminals posing as law-enforcement officials extorted ₹1.05 crore from a senior-citizen couple. These incidents highlight the rapid rise of digital-arrest scams, in which fraudsters use fear, technology, and impersonation to defraud ordinary citizens. The challenge now is to raise awareness before more lives and savings are lost.

What is a digital arrest?

A digital arrest is a cyber scam where fraudsters pose as law enforcement or government officials to instil fear of legal action — such as arrest, account freezing, or passport cancellation — and coerce victims into transferring money or sharing sensitive data.

“They typically contact victims via phone, WhatsApp, or email, citing fabricated issues like suspicious parcels or KYC (know your customer) verification. Using spoofed numbers and fake IDs of agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), or Customs, they escalate the threat with forged warrants or court orders,” says Soumen Mohanty, partner, Aquilaw. “Fraudsters pressure victims to stay ‘under custody’ on camera and demand money for ‘verification’, ‘bail’, or ‘security’” adds Shankey Agrawal, partner, BMR Legal.

Why seniors are prime targets