Digital Arrest Scams: What Is It and How to Prevent It?

If you are on WhatsApp, you must have come across the viral video of a scammer posing as a Mumbai police officer who ends up calling a real cop or the one where a person outsmarts another scammer posing as a cop by putting his puppy on call. These instances are hilarious, but the crux of the matter is very serious. These are digital arrest scams and the extent to which they are rising is even more serious.

To the point that Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. had to issue a critical safety advisory. Here’s everything you need to know about digital arrest scams in India.

Digital Arrest Scams: Explained

So, what is a digital arrest scam? It’s the latest method adopted by scammers. They pose as officials from various authoritative organisations, including law enforcement and government agencies like the CBI, the Income Tax Department, or Customs. They, then try to intimidate the victims by making baseless accusations against them and defrauding them.

From popular YouTubers to reputed journalists, the digital arrest scam has claimed several unsuspecting victims. The scammers manage to convince the victims through a legit getup with proper uniforms, personal details of the victim, and fabricated evidence of alleged crimes.

How Do Digital Arrest Scams Work?

The scammers behind the latest fraud’s main intent is to scare the victim and coerce them into giving up personal details or making a payment. Here’s the modus operandi of digital arrest scams.

1. The first step of the digital arrest scam is to contact the victim through calls, video calls, SMS, or email. The correspondence claims to be from law enforcement or a government agency with legitimate phone numbers or text with fake government logos and seals.
2. Scammers then inform the victim that they are under investigation for a serious offence. They may even use fake case numbers and legal jargon to sound credible. They often quote alarming yet vague offences like fraudulent transactions or suspicious internet activities to trap their victims.
3. Once the scammers sense the victim is scared, they will ask for immediate payment of a hefty fine or sensitive personal information to avoid arrest. This is where the most crucial red flag arises, as the scammers ask for the payment through unscrupulous and difficult-to-trace methods such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, etc.
4. Scammers tend to get aggressive and instruct the victim to close doors, draw the curtains, and avoid answering calls, leading to a digital arrest, which creates a sense of isolation and urgency.

Notable Digital Arrest Scam Cases

You might think such scams are avoidable and anyone would see them coming from miles away. However, different people respond to digital arrest scams in varied ways, with some being more vulnerable.

Aged individuals and young professionals reliant on digital tools and with reputations at stake often panic due to the fear of criminal charges, making them easy targets for digital arrest scams. Below are some of the notable scams that have come to light recently.

1. Popular YouTuber and influencer Ankush Bahuguna went through a 40-hour ordeal recently. The ordeal began when Bahuguna received a call from an international number informing him that a package he allegedly sent had illegal items. The scammers then went on to convince him that his details, including his Aadhaar number, were linked to the package and that he was being investigated for crimes like money laundering and drug trafficking. With his reputation as an influencer at stake, Bahuguna quickly panicked and was coerced into isolating himself from the outside world. With his anxiety peaking, he gave into the demands of miscreants before quickly realising it was an elaborate scam. He then posted a reel detailing the event on his handle for his 1.1m followers and spread awareness.
2. Not just influencers but even journalists are not spared from the scam, as Richa Mishra, a Senior Assistant Editor at AajTak, published her harrowing experience with it. Similar to Bahuguna, she was contacted by scammers pretending to be from FedEx, alleging that a package linked to her Aadhaar contained drugs. While sceptical at first, she was coerced into anxiety and panic by a web of lies by the scammer. She was asked to connect with Mumbai Police to get a clarification note and was put on a digital arrest by someone pretending to be from Mumbai Police. She was accused of not only drug trafficking but also money laundering, with damning proofs like her office schedule, home and office addresses, location, bank account details, etc., to convince her. She was even sent a fake arrest warrant in her name, along with a few other people’s details of her transactions from her bank account. However, when the call ended after an hour and a half, better sense prevailed, and she contacted her relatives and police, who told her that it was a widespread scam.

Tips to Avoid Digital Arrest Scams

As you can tell from the cases mentioned above, scammers are tapping into their victims’ fear and panic to swindle them out of lakhs and even crores of rupees. While in some cases, victims were able to recover some percentage of the amount back by filing a police complaint and persistently following up with the banks, the scam impacts the mental health of the victims as well. It’s best to practise preventive measures to combat such crimes and fraud, which are listed below.

1. Government and law enforcement agencies will never ask for money to stop an investigation. Do not transfer money, no matter how grave the accusations sound. The same goes for credentials and personal information.
2. Contact the relevant agency directly when you receive calls from people pretending to be from so-and-so agencies. Beware of unsolicited calls or textual correspondence claiming urgent legal actions.
3. Keep yourself informed about the latest scam tactics and frauds. It’s important to note that the Indian legislature doesn’t have the concept of digital arrest, and no agency can ask for personal details over telephone or video calls.
4. In the case of emails, don’t click on any password reset emails you have not initiated. Ignore unsolicited emails seeking information using language that sounds urgent and threatening. Also, look out for grammatical errors, unusual phrasing, or unsolicited requests.
5. Report such instances through the cybercrime portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or helpline (1930). You can also use the Sanchar Saathi portal to flag suspicious phone numbers.

According to Check Point Software Technologies, digital financial fraud in India increased fivefold between March 2023 and March 2024. In Q1 2024 alone, Indians lost a whopping Rs 20.30 crore to digital arrest scams.

However, by being vigilant and following the above tips, you can avoid such scams and protect your hard-earned money.

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