Rise in 'Digital Arrest' Scams Prompts Government Advisory on Cyber Fraud

 

Cybercriminals are now increasingly using "digital arrests" as a tool for fraud. Recently, numerous complaints of this kind have emerged from various parts of the country, including Kolkata. These fraudsters often use social media platforms to trap their victims. By impersonating officials from investigative agencies, they claim that the targeted individual or their family member is involved in a serious case. To drop the charges, they demand a hefty sum of money. The central government, alarmed by the growing number of such incidents, has issued an advisory to raise public awareness, stating that no one can be arrested via video calls made by individuals claiming to be police officers, CBI, ED, customs officials, or judges.

This advisory has been released by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It explains that "digital arrest" is a form of corruption. The advisory warns people not to panic unnecessarily and to remain vigilant. It emphasizes that no legitimate arrest can be made through video calls by authorities such as the CBI, police, customs, ED, or judges. To reinforce this point, logos of platforms like WhatsApp and Skype, which are often misused for such scams, have been included in the advisory.

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has advised that anyone who encounters such situations should immediately call the government helpline number 1930 or report the incident on the official cybercrime website. Social media platforms have also expressed concern over these recent incidents. According to PTI, these platforms are in communication with investigative agencies and are working to improve security measures to prevent such fraud.

Recently, a woman in Kolkata fell victim to such a "digital arrest" scam, where the fraudsters demanded a significant amount of money by threatening her with arrest. Following her complaint, Kolkata Police arrested several suspects. Last month, a scientist from Madhya Pradesh was similarly threatened with "digital arrest" and was defrauded of INR 71 lakh. In light of these incidents, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has now issued this advisory to protect the public.