According to people familiar with the matter, the call was received on Wednesday afternoon from a person claiming to be an official of the Mumbai Police. The caller alleged that financial fraud had been committed using Radhakrishnan’s Aadhaar number and that a case had been registered
Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said he suspected fraud from the start. Representational Pic/File
Senior Congress leader and Kerala MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has filed a police complaint after cyber fraudsters attempted to trap him through a so-called ‘digital arrest’ scam, reported the PTI.
Radhakrishnan, who represents the Kottayam Assembly constituency and is a former home minister in the Oommen Chandy government, said he received a call from an unidentified person warning him that he would be placed under ‘digital arrest’.
Speaking to PTI on Thursday, Radhakrishnan said he suspected fraud from the start.
“They made a WhatsApp call and spoke about a ‘digital arrest’. I realised it was a scam immediately and did not engage further,” he said, according to the PTI.
According to people close to him, the call was received on Wednesday afternoon from a person claiming to be an official of the Mumbai Police. The caller alleged that financial fraud had been committed using Radhakrishnan’s Aadhaar number and that a case had been registered.
Radhakrishnan reportedly asked the caller to contact the police for further details and then disconnected the call.
Complaint submitted to state police chief
The MLA said he has submitted a complaint to the Kerala state police chief and expects a formal probe to be launched once a case is registered.
Rise in digital arrest scams in Kerala
Kerala has witnessed a rise in ‘digital arrest’ scams in recent months, with fraudsters mainly targeting elderly people.
In such scams, criminals impersonate law enforcement officials, falsely accuse individuals of illegal activities and intimidate them into transferring money under the threat of arrest.
Senior citizen placed under digital arrest in Mumbai, loses Rs 16.5 lakh
A 75-year-old retired civic official has allegedly been duped of Rs 16.5 lakh by cyber fraudsters who posed as ATS and NIA personnel and placed him under "digital arrest" for interrogation, claiming his name surfaced in the Delhi bomb blast case, police said, reported news agency PTI.
The victim, a resident of Andheri (East) in Mumbai, approached the West Region Cyber Police Station on Monday, an official said on Wednesday, reported PTI.
Scam linked to fake probe into Delhi blast case
An explosive-laden vehicle detonated outside the historic Red Fort in Delhi on November 10 last year, killing over 12 persons.
According to the police, the victim, a retired official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, received a call on December 11 from unidentified persons claiming to be officers from the Delhi anti-terrorism department. The caller threatened him, saying his name had surfaced in the Delhi bomb blast case and that he needed to be interrogated secretly, reported PTI.
The caller then asked the victim to download the Signal application, where he received a video call. During the call, one of the fraudsters posed as National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer Sadanand Date, reported PTI.
Victim warned of money laundering case
The caller told the victim that a bank account linked to his mobile number had allegedly received Rs 7 crore through money laundering activities and warned that he would be arrested in the case, the police said.
Citing the seriousness of the matter and its alleged connection to national security, the caller instructed the victim not to discuss the issue with anyone, reported PTI.
Money transferred for ‘verification’, caller vanishes
The fraudsters claimed that the agency needed to verify whether his investments and deposits were from legal sources, and asked the victim to transfer his money to certain bank accounts for verification, a police official said.
Accordingly, the victim deposited Rs 16.5 lakh, following which the caller blocked his number.
Case registered against unidentified accused
The victim later approached the cyber police and lodged a complaint, based on which a case has been registered against unidentified persons, the official said.
Digital arrest is a growing form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement, court officials or personnel from government agencies to intimidate victims through audio and video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to pay money.
(With inputs from PTI)
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