3-mob.com 
“Digital arrest”, a term coined by fake police officers who trick ordinary people into believing they’re part of a serious investigation, has become a widespread phenomenon in India.
The number of such cases rises every day, as more and more Indians follow orders from strangers on the phone who pressure them to pay bail in order to avoid physical arrest.
Dressed in police uniforms and reciting legal formulas, the fraudsters often create an atmosphere of fear. After they get to their victims via phone calls, text messages, or e-mail, they falsely accuse them of money laundering, cybercrime, or similar. Using manipulative techniques, they demand a large financial sum in exchange for saving them from legal consequences.
Cases of digital arrest
One of many who fell victim to the scam was Dr Tandon, who spoke for BBC. The imposters took almost 300,000 dollars (25 million rupees) from her. According to them, she had to be put into digital custody for having laundered money.
Everything started with a fake text message saying her telephone number would be disconnected. The fraudsters claimed there had been 22 complaints of harassing text messages sent from the number. Next, a fake police officer accused her of having laundered money on child and women trafficking from her and her mother’s bank account.
Immediately after that, the officer threatened her with coming to her house and arresting her as soon as possible. Frightened, Dr Tandon finally agreed on digital custody which was offered to her as a less daunting alternative.
Every day, she followed the “police’s” instructions, who even forced her to buy a smartphone so that they could watch her every step on a camera. They made her reveal her private information on a digital trial, as she was giving away her life savings thinking she was fighting for freedom.
But Mrs. Tandon was not alone. Mr. Mukhopadhyay from Delhi spent 28 hours under the fake digital custody until his friends recognized he was part of a scam, saving his bank account just before he was going to transfer his money to the fraudsters.
Not only do these scams have grave consequences on people’s finances, but they also negatively impact people’s mental well-being. Dr Tandon admits that she’s been overly suspicious of the police and has struggled to separate reality from deception.
For now, the identity of the impostors remains unclear. But in Dr Tandon’s case, police have found 18 suspects, including both women and men from India. One thing that is certain is that these are professional engineers and experts on cyber security.
Investigators believe that before contacting their targets, the fraudsters use social media to gather personal information about them and then strike fast.
How to spot the scam?
According to experts, scams unfortunately form part of people’s daily lives. That’s why it’s important to constantly educate the public about how scams work and how to spot them.
To begin with, receiving a call or message from a suspicious phone number should spark your attention. If possible, it is recommended not to pick up such phone calls or respond to suspicious messages.
If you already communicate with someone, verify information with an official source such as the government website or a trustworthy portal.
When running an investigation, the police follow proper legal procedures without threats or intimidating practices involved. So, if you feel unsafe or pushed into something, always contact the local authorities.
Last but not least, don’t panic and stay calm. This will prevent you from making impulsive decisions and falling into the trap. Think twice before providing any personal information and pay attention to the questions asked.
Other frauds to look out for
Not every money fraud involves direct contact with the fraudster.
In the gambling world, for instance, gamblers lose a lot of money even if they play in a fair, reputable casino. However, some fraudulent online casinos include hidden and predatory rules in their T&Cs to rip off their players, which can lead to even greater losses. You can read more about them on this website.
Banking frauds are very common, too. In addition to some that do require communication such as phishing, there are frauds in which losing your money is a question of seconds. Becoming a victim of payment card fraud, in which thefts steal your card information to use your money, can be as easy as leaving your physical card somewhere or getting tricked on e-commerce marketplaces or similar.
Unfortunately, many people have good intentions and fall for scams. This is the case of fraudulent charities, which play with people’s emotions to exploit them financially. People behind them often promote fake campaigns of organizations that don’t even exist or hide themselves behind the official ones. Victims usually enter personal or payment card data and expose themselves to identity theft or payment card fraud.
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