Imagine going through your day when a phone from a police officer declares that you are under arrest. No siren, no police officer at your door, no cuff – A scammer demanded money to “clean his name” with an alleged fraud, which you did not do. ‘Digital Arrests’ – Where the cyber criminal reports to police and/or government officials, cheating the victims in terror payments, now largely reported across the country.
We break their operations and distribute you with the information required to stay safe.
mode of operation
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Phone call: Contact your victims through scammers phone or WhatsApp audio/video call. In some, the victims were designed to download and install Skype on their equipment. Unknown numbers, sometimes with ISD code, can also have a voice on the Internet Protocol (VOIP) call.
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False accusation: Scammers create a feeling of urgency and/or fear in their victims and demand immediate action. They may allege that the victim is entangled in illegal or criminal activities, such as financial fraud, and claim to have evidence.
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Fake notice/warrant: The victims are allegedly forced to share their Aadhaar card photos, the posts that are sent to them for a court notice with a fake arrest warrant or legal provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Other fake circulars and notices mimic official documents with people of government agencies The victims were sent demanding money.
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Master imposters: To further establish validity, scammers are known for implementing police officers such as constables, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and customs officers or judges. They can claim to be officers from the following government agencies:
– Enforcement Directorate (ED)
– Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
– Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
– Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
– Income Tax (IT)
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Detailed set-up: Scammers use elements found in police or government offices to explain the victims of legitimacy. In one case, the scammers rebuilt a court room with a person as a judge, who then betrayed one of the 59 lakh rupees.
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money transfer: The victims are forced to transfer funds to the mule accounts to avoid arrest, released from ‘digital arrest’, or abandoned fake criminal allegations.
red flags
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Under the Indian Criminal Act, there is no provision for ‘digital arrest’, so no law enforcement or government officials can keep you under ‘Digital Arrest’. This indicates that the person on the other side is a scammer.
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No law enforcement agents will demand money or threaten arrest without appropriate legal procedures.
What to do
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Break: Only scammers will hurry to take immediate action by creating nervousness and/or if you disagree with their terms are threatening you with serious consequences. It is important to stay in your track and ask if it can be a scam.
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Fall: Do not share any ID including Aadhaar, PAN, passport, or bank details, or confirm the same if they claim access to them.
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Please attest it: If someone claims to be a police or a government official, ask for their name and department. You can find online details and contact the concerned government and/or law enforcement agency or local police.
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Refusal to pay: No officer demands payment, fine or bail on informal communication channels, so do not transfer any money or share your UPI, card details and/or a time password (OTP).
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Warn the bank: If you accidentally give your bank details to the scammer, immediately alert the bank so that they can monitor your account for suspicious activity and take necessary action to keep their finance safe.
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Report: Report the incident at the earliest through government portal like Chakshu () and National Cybercrime Helpline No -1930. You can also complain at the local police station.
(The purpose of the quint’s scamguard initiative is to keep you with emerging digital scams to help you be informed and cautious. If you have been scam or successfully failed one, tell us your story. Contact us through WhatsApp at +91999900835 or email us.myreport@thequint.comYou can also fill and help us take your story forward.)
