Retired Bank Officer Loses ₹88.50 Lakh in Digital Arrest Fraud

Recently, cases of Digital arrest are increasing rapidly in India. A lot of people have fallen victim to Digital arrest. This time, a bank employee has fallen victim to digital arrest.

A shocking case of cybercrime has come to light in Shimla, where a retired bank officer was cheated of ₹88.50 lakh through a fraud known as “digital arrest.” Police investigations have revealed several new details about how the fraudsters operated.

According to cyber police, the gang behind this fraud worked in a very professional and organized manner. To withdraw money from the victim’s accounts, the criminals used ATMs nearly 150 times, taking out around ₹10 lakh. In addition, they withdrew about ₹78.50 lakh through cheques, making the total fraud amount ₹88.50 lakh.

The method used by the fraudsters was highly deceptive. They contacted the retired officer through a video call and posed as senior police officers. During the call, they falsely accused him of being involved in money laundering and claimed that his Aadhaar card had been misused. To make the situation look real, they even showed him fake documents and warned him that he could be jailed. Out of fear, the retired officer followed their instructions and lost his money.

As part of the investigation, cyber police have issued notices to banks, asking them to secure CCTV footage of the fraudulent transactions. They have also seized the victim’s call records, WhatsApp messages, and other digital evidence to track the culprits.

The case has created concern at the police headquarters, and officials are considering forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to handle the matter. Orders for this could be issued soon. Investigators believe that the fraud is not limited to one state but may be part of a larger interstate and international network.

This incident once again highlights how cybercriminals are misusing fear and pressure tactics to cheat innocent people, even educated and experienced individuals like retired officers.