An 85-year-old retired central government employee in Nagpur was allegedly cheated of around Rs 87 lakh by fraudsters impersonating Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam that continued for nearly a month, reported the Times of India.
According to police, the victim was first contacted through a series of mobile calls and WhatsApp messages before being subjected to repeated high-pressure video calls. The fraudsters posed as senior ED officers using fabricated identities such as Sandeep Yadav, B Rajput, Vijay Khanna, and Dinesh Chaudhary to appear credible and authoritative.
The accused falsely informed the elderly man that his name had surfaced in a major money laundering investigation and claimed that an arrest warrant had been issued against him. To intensify the fear, they sent forged official-looking documents and legal notices, warning him of immediate detention under a so-called “digital arrest” process.
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Under continuous psychological pressure, the victim was instructed not to disconnect video calls or contact family members, effectively isolating him from external help. The scammers maintained constant surveillance over him through video chat, ensuring compliance with their instructions.
Fearing arrest and public humiliation, the victim was coerced into transferring his entire life savings. Over multiple transactions, he sent Rs 87 lakh into several bank accounts provided by the fraudsters, believing the money was being secured in official custody for verification purposes, according to TOI.
A case has since been registered, and an investigation is underway to trace the accused and follow the digital money trail across multiple accounts. However, officials noted that the funds were quickly diverted through layered transactions, making recovery difficult.
The RBI is considering measures to curb digital fraud, including a one-hour delay on account-to-account transfers, extra authentication for high-value payments, and safeguards for the elderly. It also proposes monitoring large credits, preventing mule accounts, and allowing users to control payment limits and activation settings.
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