Digital Arrests On The Rise —Case Studies And Solutions

There is no provision for "digital arrests" within any law enforcement agency, according to Yashasvi Yadav, Special Inspector General of Police for the Maharashtra Cyber Department. "Digital arrests are one of the sophisticated scams that even well-educated people, including officers, fall for," Yadav told NDTV Profit.

A "digital arrest" refers to a new and growing form of cyber fraud in which scammers impersonate law enforcement officials or representatives from government agencies, using intimidation tactics through audio or video calls. They hold the victims psychologically hostage, applying pressure to compel them to make payments.

In the past week, there have been 11 reported incidents of digital arrest scams. So far in 2024, there have been 12 lakh complaints, resulting in a total loss of Rs 11,333 crore.

"So, if someone tells you that you are under digital arrest, it means they are trying to scam you. The moment you hear this, report the number to the helpline of your law enforcement agency," Yadav advised. In Maharashtra, this can be reported to helpline numbers 1930 or 1440. "It is illegal to keep anyone under digital arrest," he emphasised.

Yadav highlighted that criminals are mimicking real-life officials, even creating replicas of places like courts. In one incident, they even used his name. The scammers do not ask for bribes; instead, they request money to be deposited into specific accounts for "security."

"The only way to protect yourself from being scammed is through awareness," said Yadav.

In a distressing case, a digital arrest victim received a call on May 4, 2024, from someone claiming to be from FedEx, alleging that a parcel in the victim's name contained illegal items. Posing as customs and crime branch officers, the scammers told the victim that they seemed to be a victim of identity theft and needed to cooperate to avoid arrest. The victim was held under "digital arrest" for 10 days and was forced to remain logged in 24/7. Under this manipulation, the victim ended up transferring her fixed deposits, and savings, and cashing in mutual funds.

In another incident, a victim received a similar call about a parcel. Unfortunately, it coincided with him sending a parcel to his daughter, leading him to believe the fraudster's claims.

As soon as a victim realises they have lost money, the first action they should take is to call 1930, a financial helpline available across the country, Yadav noted. Reporting within the first 15-20 minutes is crucial. "1930 is a financial helpline that can freeze the account where the money was transferred, increasing the possibility of the funds being returned to the victim," he explained. 

"This year, the Maharashtra Cyber Department has returned more than Rs 500 crore to victims," Yadav stated.

He pointed out that India's cybercrime laws are outdated. The last amendment to the Information Technology Act was in 2008, and there have been no subsequent changes to India’s cyber laws since then. "The law needs to be updated and made more stringent. Very few offenses under the IT Act are non-bailable," he said.

"Emotional exploitation and fear are the fraudsters' weapons," said Harish Shetty, a psychiatrist. "Families that are disconnected and do not communicate about their lives, as well as single women, are particularly vulnerable to digital scams," he explained. 

Shetty noted that isolated individuals are often the primary targets of digital fraud. "It is important not to shame or make fun of victims of cyber fraud. Show complete compassion for victims, just as one would during any physical accident, to help them cope with the trauma of a digital arrest. Share the incident first only with trusted individuals, and later consider raising awareness," adviced Shetty.