An 86-year-old woman from South Mumbai has become the victim of a shocking cyber fraud, losing a total of Rs20 crore in a ‘digital arrest’ scam. In this form of fraud, criminals impersonate law enforcement officers or government officials and use intimidation tactics to extort money from their victims.
The fraud came to light when the woman was threatened by a scammer who claimed to be a CBI officer. The fraudster told her that she was involved in a criminal investigation and warned her of a “digital arrest” unless she transferred a significant amount of money to clear her name. The scammer also threatened to arrest her children if she didn’t comply.
Over the course of two months, the elderly woman transferred large sums of money to various bank accounts under the guise of clearing her name, paying court fees, and facilitating the “investigation.” She was told that the money would be refunded once the “probe” was over.
The scam began to unravel when the woman’s domestic help noticed her unusual behavior. The maid reported that the woman was isolated in her room and frequently shouted at someone, prompting her daughter to investigate. Upon further inquiry, it was revealed that the elderly woman had been coerced into sharing her bank details and transferring Rs20.26 crore to the fraudsters.
The cyber police tracked the fraudulent transactions to several bank accounts, eventually identifying the first suspect, Shayan Jamil Shaikh (20), from Malad. Shaikh had withdrawn Rs4.99 lakh and handed it over to another accomplice. After his arrest and interrogation, two more suspects were apprehended: Razique Azan Butt (20) from Mira Road, and Hritik Shekhar Thakur (25) from Andheri.
The police discovered that Thakur had withdrawn Rs9 lakh from an account, which had been transferred by the fraudsters after deceiving the woman. Authorities suspect that Butt may be linked to an international cyber fraud network, which could be responsible for similar scams targeting vulnerable individuals.
As a result of the investigation, the cyber police have successfully frozen Rs77 lakh of the woman’s money, which was transferred to various accounts. Notices have been issued for two more suspects involved in the scam.
This incident highlights the alarming rise of digital arrest fraud, a growing form of cybercrime that preys on vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly, by impersonating government officials to extort money.
