Pune: A 71-year-old man has allegedly lost Rs 22 lakh after falling prey to a cyber fraud in which an impostor posing as a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer threatened him with arrest over a fabricated criminal investigation.
The incident reportedly occurred between October 5 and 15, with the victim approaching the police on Wednesday to lodge a complaint.
According to the complaint, the fraudster initially introduced himself as a senior police official from Karnataka before claiming to represent the CBI. He allegedly told the elderly man that his mobile SIM card had been linked to a child trafficking case, creating fear of serious legal consequences.
The accused then convinced the victim that he needed to deposit money for a purported verification procedure. Under the pretext of a security deposit and digital scrutiny, the fraudster allegedly instructed him to transfer Rs 22 lakh into bank accounts provided by him.
The victim complied with the demands after being threatened with a so-called digital arrest, a tactic increasingly used by cybercriminals to intimidate unsuspecting individuals.
Police Register Case
Following the complaint, Vishrantwadi police registered a case against an unidentified accused under Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. No arrests have been reported so far.
What Is A Digital Arrest Scam?
In this form of cybercrime, fraudsters impersonate police officers or other government officials and use phone or video calls to convince victims that they are involved in criminal cases. They subsequently demand money under the guise of verification, investigation or bail procedures.
Authorities have repeatedly clarified that digital arrest is not a legally recognised procedure and that genuine law enforcement agencies do not demand money through such transfers.
Click Here For The Original Source.
——————————————————–
