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Hyderabad Pensioner Loses Rs 51 Lakh in Shocking Digital Arrest Scam

A 78-year-old retired government employee from Hyderabad fell victim to a sophisticated digital arrest scam. Fraudsters posing as Mumbai police threatened him with false bomb blast charges to extort money. The scammers kept him under digital confinement through video calls while draining his bank accounts. This marks the second major senior citizen cyber fraud case in Hyderabad within days, highlighting growing digital threats.

Key Points: Hyderabad Senior Citizen Loses 51 Lakh in Digital Arrest Fraud

  • Fraudster posed as Mumbai ACP claiming victim's SIM used in bomb blasts
  • Digital arrest involved video calls preventing contact with family
  • Victim transferred 95% of savings fearing false criminal charges
  • Hyderabad sees second major senior citizen cyber fraud this week
2 min read

Hyderabad man loses Rs 51 lakh in digital arrest fraud

78-year-old pensioner cheated of Rs 51 lakh after fraudsters posed as Mumbai police, threatened arrest in fake bomb blast case through digital confinement.

"The victim was kept under digital arrest by the offender, who made a video call - Cybercrime Police Report"

Hyderabad, Oct 30

Cybercriminals cheated a 78-year-old pensioner of Rs 51 lakh in the digital arrest fraud. The victim, a retired Central government employee and resident of Srinagar colony in Hyderabad, received a call from a fraudster posing as ACP of Mumbai Crime Branch, threatening that his mobile phone SIM was used in bomb blasts and kidnap cases.

The fraudster also told the victim that others have taken SIM cards in his name. He even showed notices from the CBI and accused him of money laundering.

The victim was kept under digital arrest by the offender, who made a video call. The fraudster did not allow him to make call to anyone and took all his bank account details.

The accused asked the senior citizen to transfer 95 per cent of the money from his account to save himself from the case and assured him that after investigation the money would be returned.

Out of fear of being implicated in the case, the victim transferred Rs.51 lakh. He later realised that he was cheated and approached Cybercrime police.

Police registered a case and took up investigation.

This is the second such case to come to light in the city this week. Earlier, a 73-year-old woman was cheated of Rs 1.43 crore.

The fraudsters, who impersonated as police officers, threatened that her Aadhaar card was found with a criminal involved in child trafficking and murder cases, and that she would be arrested.

On October 22, the victims received a call from an unknown caller, introducing himself as Akash Choudhary, an officer from Gandhi Nagar police station in Bengaluru. He told her that a criminal involved in the trafficking and murder of 187 children carried her Aadhaar card and that an FIR had been registered against her.

The impersonator even showed an arrest warrant and a CBI account freezer order. Out of fear of being apprehended, she transferred the money to the fraudster.

Early this week, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar said that cybercriminals created fake WhatsApp accounts using his photograph as the display picture and sending messages to people to extract money by exploiting his identity. He urged citizens not to respond to such messages and to block and report the numbers immediately.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
My elderly parents live alone in Hyderabad and this terrifies me. I've told them multiple times - no police officer will ever ask for money over phone. But these fraudsters are so convincing with their fake documents and video calls.
P
Priya S
Why are banks not flagging such large transactions from senior citizens' accounts? There should be mandatory cooling periods or additional verification for transfers above certain amounts from accounts of people above 70.
M
Michael C
Digital arrest is a new term for me. These criminals are getting more sophisticated. The police commissioner's warning is important - never share bank details or transfer money to anyone claiming to be police over phone.
A
Ananya R
Both cases in Hyderabad this week show how vulnerable our elderly are. As children living away from parents, we must regularly educate them about such scams. Maybe create a simple checklist for them to follow when they get suspicious calls.
V
Vikram M
While I sympathize with the victims, I must say - our police need to be more proactive. These scams are happening repeatedly. They should run regular ads on TV and radio warning people, especially in regional languages. The response seems reactive rather than preventive.
K
Kavya N
The psychological pressure these fraudsters create is immense. Threatening elderly people with fake cases and arrest - it's mental torture.

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