Beware of Arrest Call Scams : Stay Aware Of The Online Fraud

With the onset of digital India and every citizen being equipped with their own smart devices, the cybercrime wave is already at its peak. India has witnessed a surge in fraudulent phone calls, most often manipulating the receiver to do things posed by other people.

A new kind of scam call, where scammers call an individual posing as law enforcement officers or representatives from government agencies, is surfacing. These types of calls are often referred to as “live scam calls” or “digital arrest in India.”.

In this article, you will get the detailed information about the Digital Arrest Cyber Crime, recent cases, how to protect yourself and much more.

What Is A Digital Arrest?

A digital arrest cyber crime, or Scam refers to a new age fraud where an individual or a group of individuals will pretend to be from the police with the chief aim of frightening the victim. They also claim that the victims committed crimes and then extort money from their target for their crimes, alleging that the victims want to ‘make it right.’

What Have Recent Case Studies And Statistics To Show About This Digital Arrest Scam?

An increase in the current kind of digital arrest scams also shows there is a need to create awareness. Here are some Digital arrest examples and recent cases that underscore the tactics used by scammers and the growing risks:

1. New Delhi Case:

• A gang in New Delhi, originating from West Bengal, used fake policeman bad characters to approach their victims, accusing them of crime such as peddling bhang and afterwards demanded a share from the bhang-selling business.

• The Delhi police registered 113 Digital arrest complaints about this group and detained three people.

• The authorities state that the biggest giveaway when it comes to these scams is that real arrest warrants or immediate threats made over the phone are not applicable under Indian law.

2. Gujarat Incident (Vijay’s Case):

• A 32-year-old man, Vijay from Gujarat, shared with a caller he believed was from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that his phone was linked to criminal operations.

• Vijay was asked to confirm his identity via a video call, where the scammer, disguised as a police officer, asked for Aadhaar details and then asked for his bank details, saying he would help him.

• Vijay observed inaccuracy and therefore declined to provide his account numbers and resulting in a financial loss. This thought shows that scam artists construct fabricated situations and force the targets into submission, resulting in a very big Digital arrest example.

3. Large-Scale Cross-Border Scam Network in Cambodia and Myanmar:

• One of the networks is Cambodia Myanmar-based, and they have been targeting Indian citizens, even threatening that they are the Indian police and demanding money.

• People have shared pictures of the scammers, who arrive dressed in police outfits but are actually wearing casual clothing beneath the uniform.

• Investigative points uncovered that these scams were operated from the earlier casinos turned call centres in Cambodia as well as Myanmar, which exhibits the prospect of these scams on a worldwide level.

• GPS data helped officers reach several call-centre locations in these areas, which revealed an extensive network of fraudsters.

4. Financial Loss in 2024:

• India’s online population was conned out of ₹120 crore in digital arrest scams during the first four months of 2024 alone.

• The situation is so grave that our Prime Minister, Mr. Modi, also coined this topic in his radio show Mann Ki Baat, asking the citizens to beware of it.

How To Protect Yourself?

Stay vigilant, avoid sharing personal information over calls, and never click on suspicious links. Verify any strange or unknown requests by contacting organisations directly through official channels. The best way to avoid getting ensnared in a Digital arrest case study is as follows:

• Stay Sceptical: Always bear in mind that a genuine call is not one that law enforcement will ever request money from you or your bank details immediately.

• Avoid Pressure Tactics: Genuine offers do not need pressure, and that is why scammers do everything possible to make you act fast. Spend some time evaluating the moment.

• Verify Their Identity: You should contact the official agency to determine if the call is genuine or not when you are in doubt.

• Don’t Share Personal Information: Do not disclose any personal or card-related details on the telephone or video calls.

• Know Official Communication Channels: Official communication houses do not use of what app or Skype in their business.

• Report Suspicious Calls: If you know or have a feeling that any online deal offered is a fake, you should immediately contact the local police or cybercrime office.

How Do You Recognise A Potential Scam?

Recognise scams by looking out for unexpected requests for personal information, suspicious links, too-good-to-be-true offers, and communication errors. Fake profiles and intimidating tones are also red flags. Such as:

1. Strange Request Asking For Bank Details
In case you get a call informing you falsely that you are from a financial institution or a government agency asking for personal details, be wary. No genuine organisation writes to their members, clients or anyone else, for that matter, to discuss private and sensitive issues like this.

2. Spam Links: Received Through Email Or SMS
Do not trust messages that tell you to click on a link to confirm information. By following the links, the given page can fill your machine with viruses that are used by hackers to syphon off your data.

3. Deals That Seem Hard To Believe
Criminals tend to recover money by guaranteeing huge earnings for small sums, lucky numbers, or family bequests. If you receive an offer that is too good to be true, then it’s probably a fake one. Never engage in these talks to reduce the risk of danger.

4. Communication Errors Or Grammar Mistakes
Be sure to check messages for possible misspellings, incorrect grammar, or strange punctuation. There are always mistakes made in communications; however, legitimate organisations are usually cautious, and mistakes must be looked at as potential scams.

5. Fake/Incomplete Profiles With Authoritative Tones
Some fraudsters may call the victims via WhatsApp with pictures of police or anything to do with the government. They tend to speak roughly to generate fear and provide fake evidence of the criminal conduct of a loved one.

6. Using Threats To Influence Victims To Disclose Stakes Information
In every case, promising to help the victim avoid trouble, the scammers twist the conversation to extract personal details or cash. This information can later on be used for instance, to perpetrate identity theft or any other unauthorised access to a bank account.