Digital Arrest Scam: 9,400+ WhatsApp Accounts Blocked, Centre Tells SC

The development came to light through a note submitted by the Attorney General before the apex court, which is hearing the matter suo motu in view of the rising number of 'digital arrest' fraud cases across the country.

According to the note, the accounts were identified and removed by WhatsApp as part of its internal investigation into organised scam networks targeting Indian users.

The probe revealed that many of these fraudulent accounts were being operated from centres located in Southeast Asian countries, outside India's jurisdiction.

The 'digital arrest' scam involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement and government officials to intimidate victims and extort money.

As per the findings shared in court, scammers used misleading names such as 'Delhi Police', 'Mumbai Headquarters', 'CBI', and 'ATS Department' in their WhatsApp profiles. They also displayed official-looking government logos as profile pictures to gain the trust of unsuspecting users.

The note further highlighted that the investigation by WhatsApp was initiated based on inputs received from multiple government agencies, including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Telecommunications.

While government agencies had earlier identified around 3,800 fake accounts linked to such fraudulent activities, WhatsApp's deeper analysis exposed a significantly larger network, leading to action against thousands more accounts.

The company also told the court that it is stepping up efforts to curb such scams by introducing new user safety features. These include alerts for first-time messages from unknown numbers flagged as suspicious, visibility of account creation dates to help users assess authenticity, and measures to automatically hide profile photos in potentially risky chats.

WhatsApp emphasised that its enforcement approach goes beyond acting on individual complaints, focusing instead on dismantling entire scam infrastructures to prevent further misuse of the platform.

The Supreme Court is continuing to monitor the issue closely, amid concerns over the increasing sophistication and cross-border nature of cyber frauds targeting Indian citizens.

- IANS