86-year-old South Mumbai woman loses Rs 20.26 crore after digital arrest by fake CBI officer

Fraudsters asked the elderly woman to share her bank details under the pretext of verifying funds of her account which were allegedly connected to criminal activity. They then extorted Rs 20.26 crore from her over two months. (Representational image: Grok)

An 86-year-old woman from south Mumbai lost more than Rs 20 crore of her savings over two months to a 'digital arrest' fraud, police said on Thursday.

One of the fraudsters posed as a 'CBI officer' to extort money from the woman, they said, adding three persons have been arrested in connection with the crime which took place between December 26, 2024 and March 3 this year. The accused had also forced the victim to stay at home for two months and to check her location daily by calling her every three hours, an official said.

The cyber police have managed to freeze Rs 77 lakh belonging to the woman by identifying the bank accounts to which the money was transferred, he added.

As per the police complaint filed by the woman earlier this month, she had received a call from a man, who claimed to be a CBI officer, and told her that based on her Aadhaar card, a bank account was opened which was used for money laundering.

The man then told her that the case was being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and she should stay in her room, while threatening her with "digital arrest". He also threatened to arrest her children, the official said.

The matter came to light after the woman's domestic help observed that she used to get out of her room only for food and shout at someone in her room. The help then informed the woman's daughter about it.

Rs 20.26 crore extorted over two months

Meanwhile, the fraudsters asked the elderly woman to share her bank details under the pretext of verifying funds in her account which were connected to criminal activity. They then extorted Rs 20.26 crore from her over two months, citing various reasons including clearing her name from the "case" and court fees promising to return the money after the investigation was complete, the police told news agency PTI.

While investigating the case, the cyber police found the money was transferred to various bank accounts, including one of Shayan Jamil Shaikh (20), resident of Malad area here, he said.

The police said Rs 4.99 lakh was transferred to Shaikh's account, which he had withdrawn and handed over to another fraudster.

Three accused arrested

The cyber police recently tracked down Shaikh and after his arrest and interrogation, they also nabbed another accused Razique Azan Butt (20), resident of Mira Road in neighbouring Thane, the official said.

The police on Wednesday identified one more accused, Hritik Shekhar Thakur (25), resident of Andheri area, in whose account Rs 9 lakh was transferred, and arrested him late night, he said. Thakur has admitted to the withdrawal of Rs 9 lakh from an SBI account, which was transferred by his aides after duping the woman, the official said.

The cyber police suspect Butt was part of an international racket of cyber fraudsters, he said. They have also identified two more accused to whom notices have been issued under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita section 35 (when police may arrest without warrant), the official said.

What is digital arrest?
'Digital arrest' is a new and growing form of cyber fraud in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel of government agencies, and intimidate victims through audio/video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on the victims to make payment.

Indian citizens cumulatively losing Rs 120.30 crore to this scourge in the first quarter of 2024 alone, an analysis by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), an agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs which monitors cybercrime at the central level, has revealed.

How to safeguard yourself against rising cybercrimes

1.) Lock your Aadhaar biometrics to prevent AePS transactions without your consent. Go to the myaadhaar section on the UIDAI website and follow the set procedure to lock/unlock your biometrics.

2.) Be hypervigilant when dealing with unknown service providers or strangers, especially if they ask you to download any app or install a software. Consult a trusted subject matter expert before you give access to any of your devices. People fall victim to well-fabricated cons, especially in times of stress such as hospitalisation, death of a family member, or say a property transaction. Fraudsters may use either feel-good stories or blackmail as bait to dupe the vulnerable.

3.) remember the basics – you need to scan a QR code when you are making a payment. To receive money, you never scan a QR code.

4.) If an unknown person has transferred you money or claims they sent extra by mistake, then take the help of a trusted expert to resolve the situation.

5.) Take some time to assess whether a link or an SMS is trustworthy. Maybe it has been spoofed. If in doubt, then don’t engage with the counterparty until you have established their credibility.

The official police number to report a cybercrime is 1930. Call this number in case of emergency.

(With inputs from PTI)