In yet another case of digital arrest, a retired banker and his wife from Mumbai were tricked by cybercriminals posing as police officials into staying on a video call for three days. The fraudsters manipulated the couple into transferring Rs 50.5 lakh into their bank accounts.
On October 10, the incident came to light when the man, who is a resident of north Mumbai, reported the incident to the police after realising he had fallen prey to a cyber scam, reported India Today.
What Happened?
The man received a WhatsApp call from someone claiming to be from the Nashik Police Department between September 11 and 24.
The caller mentioned that the man has been named in a money-laundering case and even showed a fake FIR with his details to make the threat
look real.
The situation got worse when another man joined the conversation, introducing himself as an IPS officer from the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The couple was told they were under investigation and must remain on a video call continuously for three days.
During these three days, the fraudsters collected details of the couple’s bank accounts and fixed deposits, saying the money had to be “verified”. In fear of being arrested, the victims followed their instructions and transferred ₹50.5 lakh to an account given by the scammers. Once the transfer was completed, the video call was disconnected, and all contact was cut off.
Two Arrested For Helping Cyber Gangs
Following the complaint, the North Region Cyber Police began an investigation and managed to trace Rs 29.5 lakh of the stolen money to a “mule” account belonging to Ravi Ananda Ambore (35) from Ulhasnagar, Thane district.
Ambore was arrested on October 25 and reportedly confessed to allowing cybercriminals to use his bank account in exchange for a commission. His information led police to Vishwapal Chandrakant Jadhav (37), whose account had allegedly been used in at least seven similar cyber scams across different states.
Police Warn Against ‘Digital Arrest’ Scams
According to officials, both Ambore and Jadhav acted as facilitators, helping scammers transfer money through multiple accounts to hide the money trail.
“The criminals use fear and authority to trap vulnerable people. No police or NIA officer will ever demand money transfers or keep citizens under video surveillance,” a senior officer was quoted as saying by India Today.
