Why are digital arrest scams becoming more common?

Scammers exploit fear and urgency by pretending to be law enforcement officers, tricking victims into making quick payments to avoid fake legal action.

How can I identify a fake call claiming to be from NPCI or the police?

Genuine authorities will never ask for payments over the phone. Always verify the caller’s identity through official channels before responding.

What should I do if I receive a suspicious message about my bank account?

Do not click on any links or share your OTP. Instead, call your bank’s customer service and report the message.

Are elderly people more vulnerable to these scams?

Yes, elderly individuals who may not be tech-savvy are often targeted. It’s crucial to educate them about such frauds and encourage them to verify before taking action.

Can banks or government agencies recover money lost to digital scams?

While recovery is difficult, reporting immediately to the cybercrime portal and your bank increases the chances of stopping further fraudulent transactions.

Why are digital arrest scams becoming more common?

Scammers exploit fear and urgency by pretending to be law enforcement officers, tricking victims into making quick payments to avoid fake legal action.

How can I identify a fake call claiming to be from NPCI or the police?

Genuine authorities will never ask for payments over the phone. Always verify the caller’s identity through official channels before responding.

What should I do if I receive a suspicious message about my bank account?

Do not click on any links or share your OTP. Instead, call your bank’s customer service and report the message.

Are elderly people more vulnerable to these scams?

Yes, elderly individuals who may not be tech-savvy are often targeted. It’s crucial to educate them about such frauds and encourage them to verify before taking action.

Can banks or government agencies recover money lost to digital scams?

While recovery is difficult, reporting immediately to the cybercrime portal and your bank increases the chances of stopping further fraudulent transactions.

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A Warning By NPCI Concerning Growing Online Scams Especially Digital Arrest

Pragya Pathak

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 7:30 AM

A Warning By NPCI Concerning Growing Online Scams Especially Digital Arrest

The 21st century is divided between two worlds: the physical world and the online or digital world and this existence of a new world also paved the way for some people to think of ways to commit crimes. Cybercrimes aren’t a new concept for any of us and unfortunately, many of us have experienced some form of online scams.

As time is passing by, the forms and instances of cybercrimes are increasing as well. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the authority that oversees all the payments in the country has recently issued a warning notice for all citizens to be aware of and be safe against online scams, especially Digital Arrest which is a new prevalent form of online scams.

Growing Cybercrime In India

The number of cases of online scams has been increasing at a great pace. In the first four months of 2024 only, the citizens of India lost crores to scammers which cannot even be estimated at this point. It is crucial for all of us now to stay vigilant and safe against every form of cybercrime and one of the newest techniques of online scams is the method of Digital Arrest.

What Is Digital Arrest?

One of the newest techniques of online scams is called Digital Arrest wherein scammers trick people into believing that they are allegedly accused of a crime and at the risk of getting arrested. Scammers impersonate police officials or other government authorities to scare people and then use that same fear for personal gain. Till now, the people of India have lost around 120 crore rupees to scams of digital arrest.

NPCI’s Message For People

The National Payments Corporation of India has recently issued a warning notification for the people of India against online scams, especially Digital Arrest. NPCI requests everyone to stay aware of all and every form of cybercrime so that even if a scammer reaches out, one would be able to manipulate them instead of getting manipulated. We are all extremely connected and dependent on the digital world to carry out innumerable functions however, it is important to not be over-dependent on anything blindly.

Please educate yourself regarding cybercrimes and be mindful of whatever you share online.

Other Forms Of Cybercrimes

Any illegal activity that is conducted using computers or the internet is called cybercrime. It is imperative to stay vigilant against these types of cybercrimes. Some of the most common forms of cybercrime are:

Online Fraud: When certain deceptive practices are used to fool people and gain monetary benefits, it is termed online fraud. For example, investment scams, credit card fraud, etc.
Cyberbullying: To harass, bully, or disrespect someone through social media or forums and attack them psychologically.
Hacking: Accessing someone else’s computers or networks without their knowledge for personal gain.
Phishing: Manipulating people through fake emails or websites into giving their sensitive usernames, passwords, bank details, etc.

Conclusion

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued a warning concerning growing online scams, especially digital arrests for the people of India so that all of us can stay alert and safe.

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