Thane man duped of Rs 28 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam

Based on his complaint, the police registered a case on Wednesday. Representational Pic

A 64-year-old man from Maharashtra's Thane district was allegedly duped of nearly Rs 28 lakh in a 'digital arrest' scam, news agency PTI reported, quoting the police on Friday.

The complainant, a resident of Kalyan West, alleged that between April 1 and April 7, he received multiple WhatsApp video and audio calls from unknown persons, including some from international numbers.

"The callers introduced themselves as police officials and claimed that the complainant's bank accounts were linked to a money laundering case and terrorist activities," an officer from Khadakpada Police Station told PTI.

The accused allegedly threatened to "arrest" the senior citizen and coerced him into transferring money for "verification and investigation purposes," the officer said.

Under pressure and fear, the man transferred Rs 27.9 lakh to bank accounts provided by the accused during the calls, police said. He later realised that he had been defrauded.

Based on his complaint, the police registered a case on Wednesday.

"An investigation is underway to trace the accused and identify the bank accounts used in the fraud. We are also analysing call data records and digital evidence," the investigating officer said.

Mumbai retired teacher duped of Rs 32 lakh in ‘digital arrest' scam

A 63-year-old retired teacher from Mumbai was put under a fake "digital arrest" and cheated of Rs 32.69 lakh by fraudsters posing as officers of the anti-terrorism squad (ATS).

The complainant, a resident of Goregaon East, was thrown into a state of fear when she received a call from men claiming to be officers from ATS. The callers alleged that her bank account was linked to funding the infamous ‘Pulwama Terror Attack', a claim designed to shock and intimidate the receiver.

Callers switch roles easily

>> ATS inspector >> DCP
>> They name-dropped institutions like the Reserve Bank of India and the National Investigation Agency to sound legitimate.

Then came the documents

>> Fake FIRs and arrest warrants
>> Stamped letters
>> Even a so-called "immunity certificate"
>> By then, she was fully under their control.

Not a one-off

>> Police say this was part of a larger setup
>> Bank accounts rented out
>> About 3 per cent commission per layer
>> Money moved through a chain of handlers

How they took Rs 32.69 lakh

The ask was framed as a procedure. They told her her money needed to be checked for legality. So she transferred it.
>> Multiple transactions
>> UPI and NEFT >> Over several days
>> By the end: Rs 32,69,997 gone

Arrests and the trail

>> Four men have been arrested from Nanded:
>> Nilesh Pasamvar, 25
>> Shubham Jogdand, 25
>> Ajay Bhosle, 25
>> Siddharth Jondhale, 19.