GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 20th Jan. In a chilling example of the “digital arrest” scam, retired professor Kamta Prasad Singh was duped into transferring his life savings to online fraudsters posing as law enforcement officers. The cybercrime, which has become increasingly rampant across India, sees scammers impersonating police officials and coercing victims into transferring large sums of money under the threat of arrest.
Singh, 62, spoke to AFP, recounting the traumatic ordeal. “Over the years, I have skipped having tea outside, walked to avoid spending on public transport,” Singh said, his voice breaking. “Only I know how I saved my money.” The fraudsters targeted Singh in December, claiming his Aadhaar number was involved in illegal transactions. Fearful of an impending arrest, Singh transferred over $16,100 (₹13.9 lakh), a sum he described as his hard-earned life savings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued warnings regarding the growing cybercrime wave, with fraudsters using technology to exploit gaps in digital awareness. Despite the rapid digitization of India, many citizens remain unaware of basic internet safety measures, making them vulnerable to such scams. Police officials highlight the perpetrators’ ability to access sensitive personal information, including Aadhaar details, to create an illusion of legitimacy and pressure victims into complying with their demands.
Singh’s case is part of a larger trend, as scammers exploit mobile phones and video calls to manipulate victims, often threatening dire consequences to create psychological pressure. India’s Aadhaar system, the world’s largest biometric digital identity program, has become a prime target for fraudsters, who use the unique ID to convince victims that they are under investigation.
“Fraudsters create so much psychological pressure on the victim,” said PM Modi in an October radio broadcast, underscoring the alarming rise of these scams. Police officers like Sushil Kumar, who have handled cybercrimes for years, say the perpetrators come from diverse backgrounds, including educated individuals who know how to exploit the internet to gather personal information.
India recorded 17,470 cybercrimes in 2022, with 6,491 of those being online bank fraud cases. The fraudsters’ tactics continue to evolve, targeting unsuspecting victims through various forms of deception, such as fake police calls, forged official letters, and video calls made to appear as if they are coming from legitimate authorities.
In one similar case, 71-year-old Kaveri lost $120,000 after scammers posed as FedEx officials and fabricated a story involving a drug package. They convinced her to transfer money, promising it would be returned within hours. Unfortunately, Kaveri never saw her money again.
For Meeta, a private health professional from Bengaluru, a video call from fake police officers resulted in a loan scam, where the scammers convinced her to take out a loan and transfer money under the guise of a “temporary” bank transfer. Despite reporting the scam, Meeta is still being pressured by the bank to repay the loan.
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