What is ‘Digital Arrest Scam’? Know how cyber fraud is happening

#News Bureau January 9,2025

You must have heard of police arrests? What is this ‘digital arrest’? How are people falling prey to it on a large scale? The recent incident with popular social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna has once again brought to the fore the horrors of the ‘digital arrest scam’.

To understand the ‘digital arrest scam’, first know the incident of social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna. Bahuguna told about a shocking and painful incident on Sunday. He told how he was held hostage by online scammers for 40 hours and how he was forced into a ‘digital arrest’. He was isolated from his friends and family. The scammers siphoned off his money during this time.

Ankush Bahuguna shared the incident that happened with him and said that it started with an automated phone call claiming that a package was being delivered to him. Bahuguna pressed ‘zero’ for assistance. Then what, he fell into the trap. The call was immediately transferred to a so-called customer help representative. He intimidated Bahuguna by saying that a package full of illegal substances bound for China was attached to his name. The scammers told him that an arrest warrant has already been issued against him and he will be arrested soon. When Bahuguna denied knowing about any such package, the representative on the phone said that he would have to talk to the police to deal with the issue. The scammers scared him so much that he did not have time to go to the police station and they were making him talk to the police officer directly.

According to media reports, Bahuguna told that some people in the name of government agencies interrogated him through video call. He said, ‘They completely isolated me. I could not contact anyone, take calls, or even see messages. They claimed that I was in self-custody and whatever I did could be used against me.’ He further said that ‘I have been missing from social media and everywhere for the last three days because I was held hostage by some scammers.’

Not only this, the scammers threatened Bahuguna to make suspicious bank transactions, stay in hotels, visit bank branches and not tell anything to his acquaintances. According to reports, the scammers threatened that his life would be ruined, his parents would be in danger. However, later when Bahuguna’s friends got suspicious, they told Bahuguna about such activities of the scammers and helped him get out of that ‘digital arrest’ after three days.

Recently, many such scams have come to light in which individuals and businesses have lost crores of rupees. So the question is how scammers trap people and fall prey to digital arrest scam.

Digital Arrest Scam

Actually, in digital arrest scam, fraudsters pose as officers of agencies like police, CBI, ED to deceive their victims.

Digital arrest scam is an online fraud that dupes victims of their hard-earned money. Scammers scare victims and falsely accuse them of illegal activities. Later they demand money and pressurize them to pay.

How do scammers cheat?

In the digital arrest scam, criminals contact victims via phone calls posing as CBI agents, income tax officials or customs agents. They then force the victim to join a video call via platforms like WhatsApp and Skype. They then threaten the victim with a digital arrest warrant citing various reasons such as financial irregularities, tax evasion or other legal violations. In some cases, these fraudsters create a police station-like set-up to make victims believe that the call is legitimate.

The scammers force people to transfer large sums of money to fixed bank accounts or UPI IDs. Once the victims agree and make the payment, the scammers disappear.

How to avoid scams?
The most important way to protect yourself from such frauds is to be vigilant. Be suspicious of calls from fake officials claiming you are in trouble. Remember that officials from a real government agency will never ask for payment or banking details. If you are suspicious about a call, contact the concerned agency directly to confirm their identity. Avoid sharing personal information and never give out sensitive personal or financial information over a phone or video call. Government agencies do not use platforms like WhatsApp or Skype for official communication. If in doubt, report the incident to the local police or cyber crime authorities.