Digital Arrest Scams: Why Victims Can't Hang Up and How Scammers Drain Millions from Bank Accounts
A retired bank employee from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, recently fell victim to a cyber scam, losing ₹1.73 crore. The scammers kept the victim in what is known as "digital arrest" for nearly four days. This raises a key question: what exactly is a digital arrest, and why can't victims disconnect the call? In this article, we explain the reasons behind this emerging form of fraud.
What Is a Digital Arrest?
To begin with, let’s understand what a digital arrest is. It’s a new kind of cyber fraud where the victim is contacted via a video call. During this call, scammers either threaten or entice the victim into staying in front of the camera for hours or even days. Unsuspecting individuals are easily lured into such traps, effectively becoming victims of a digital arrest. During this time, scammers extract various personal details from the victim, using the information to drain their bank accounts.
Why Can’t Victims Hang Up the Call?
One of the most puzzling aspects of a digital arrest is why the victim doesn’t simply end the call. How do scammers manage to keep someone engaged for days? The answer lies in the way these fraudsters manipulate their targets. When they contact a victim, they often introduce themselves as officials from a police station or the Income Tax Department, claiming that a fraud case is linked to the victim’s name.
The scammers then proceed to say that they are making a video call and that the victim must stay on the line and in front of the camera until an "official team" arrives for questioning. They even threaten the victim, saying that disconnecting the call would be considered a violation of the law, which could result in their arrest.
Everything Seems Real
One of the most dangerous elements of a digital arrest is that everything appears legitimate. During the video call, victims are often shown fake scenarios that make it seem like the call is genuinely coming from a police station or government department. Victims tend to think that, since they haven’t done anything wrong, complying with the supposed "authorities" by staying on the call shouldn't be an issue. Additionally, fear of the police often keeps them glued to their screen. This is how many individuals fall into the trap of digital arrest.
In recent times, numerous cases of digital arrest have surfaced across India, particularly in major cities. Surprisingly, even well-educated people have fallen prey to this scam, and fraudsters have managed to steal millions from their accounts by keeping them digitally "arrested."
