An elderly couple in Hyderabad was duped of ₹10.61 crore by cyber fraudsters who threatened  them with digital arrest. The Cyber Security Bureau has arrested two persons belonging to Bengaluru on Tuesday.

A doctor in Annamayya district in Andhra Pradesh received a call from a ‘police officer’ a few months ago. He was told that a criminal case was being filed against him because they found a consignment with drugs being shipped to him from London. The fraudster even showed a fake police station in one of the calls, sending chills down the doctor’s spine. This made him to pay ₹2 crore to the fake police to get himself out of the mess.

Cybercriminals impersonated CBI officers, creating a false narrative involving fake passports and an Aadhar card link to dupe Vardhaman group Chairman S.P. Oswal. Using threats of a “digital arrest” and promises of legal help, they tricked him into transferring ₹7 crore to their accounts.

These are just the tip of the iceberg. Dozens of such incidents are being reported across the country. When it comes to cheating people, cyber fraudsters are never tired of innovating and finding new  ways.

Of late, they are wielding the threat of ‘digital arrest’ to threaten and force victims to pay crores of rupees. They are even creating fake police stations to make the victims believe that they are real police and the threat is real. The duping of Oswal sent shock waves across the corporate world as the incident proved that cybercriminals are raising the bar when it comes to choosing their target. Unlike in the past, when they used to aim for low-hanging fruits by targeting only gullible middle-class pensioners, who can easily be sold stories. 

Exploitation of fear factor

Commenting on the Oswal duping episode, Ajay Biyani, VP for APJ, India and Middle East and Africa, said that cybercriminals exploited the fear factor while launching the attack. “In this case, the scam executed under the “digital arrest” concept coerced the victims into complying with the ransom demand,” he said.

“To stay safe from such fraud, it is crucial to remember that legal authorities do not request money transfers through digital means,” he observed.

Any suspicious communication that demands payment via digital transfer should be independently verified by contacting the relevant authorities directly.

Sneha Katkar, Head of Strategy and Product Custodian, Quick Heal Technologies Limited, said these calls mostly happen over WhatsApp. She said AntiFraud.ai, a new solution the company launched, could help address the challenge. “It contains a repository of fake or spam call numbers. The user will get an alert saying that the call may be fake one. The scams are evolving so fast,” she said.

With scamsters using logistics services company FedEx recently issued an advisory to people saying it would never ask for personal details. Asking people to be cautious, it said that it didn’t request, via unsolicited call, mail, text or email, payments or personal information in return for goods in transit or in FedEx custody,” it said.

“If you receive any of these or similar communications, do not reply or cooperate with the sender,” it cautioned. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), a Home Ministry agency, warns citizens about rising ‘Digital Arrest’ scams. “Fraudsters pose as police/CBI/RBI officials, claiming victims have received/sent illegal goods or a family member is in custody. Demands for money follow,” it said.

I4C has blocked 1,000+ Skype IDs, SIM cards, and mule accounts. Citizens can report incidents for assistance.

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