Amidst the rising number of digital arrest cases, the Central govt has constituted a high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee (IDC) with the mandate to examine the real-time issues faced by the enforcement agencies, and to identify the relevant legislations & implementation gaps related with the digital arrest fraud cases.
Digital arrest fraud is a new form of cybercrime in India. As of January 2026, the Supreme Court of India has noted that victims (primarily the elderly) have lost over ₹3,000 crore to this fraud. These cyber crimes have seriously grave concerns and, hence, these must be addressed at the earliest.
What is Digital Arrest? What is the modus operandi?
- Digital arrest is a cyber fraud technique in which criminals psychologically trap a person online, making them believe they are under arrest or investigation and coercing them into transferring money.
- Digital arrest involves cybercriminals posing as law enforcement agents (from the CBI, Narcotics Department, or Reserve Bank of India) who claim that the victim is involved in illegal activities like movement of drugs or a suspicious package. The victims are tricked into remaining under constant visual surveillance via Skype or other video conferencing platforms until the criminals’ demands are met.
- The victim is not physically detained, but is mentally confined through fear — hence the term digital arrest.
Modus Operandi of Digital arrest:
| Caller ID Spoofing | Scammers disguise their phone number to look like it is from a legitimate government office or police department. Scammers also reach out via video calls using WhatsApp or Skype. |
| Intimidation | Victims are falsely accused of crimes like drug trafficking or money laundering, and are shown fake documents and setups that mimic police stations. The scammers use fear tactics, such as threatening for jail-term or property seizure, to create urgency. |
| Isolation | Victims are instructed to remain on the call and not to contact anyone else. This creates a sense of urgency and fear. The fraudsters also use deepfake videos and fake arrest warrants to impersonate officials of law enforcement agencies. |
| Demands for Money and Personal Identity Theft | The fraudsters demand immediate payment, often via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency, which would make the money transfer difficult to trace. Some scammers ask for Aadhaar Details, Bank account details, and other personal information, which are later used for identity theft. |
Examples of Digital Arrest Fraud Cases:
Digital arrest fraud cases have not only targeted the vulnerable groups, but also wealthy individuals as well. Vast sums of Money have also been stolen from wealthy individuals.
| Vardhman Group Director’s case | Scammers duped the textile industry doyen S P Oswal into transferring Rs 7 crore to their bank accounts, by posing as CBI Officers and intimidating him on false money laundering cases. |
| Fake impersonation as CJI | There have been cases where a person impersonated Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, faked hearing a matter on skype and thereafter passed an order. |
| NRI Doctor Couple Defrauded in Delhi | In a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, an elderly NRI doctor couple in South Delhi’s Greater Kailash was duped of around ₹14.85 crore by fraudsters. Scammers posed as law enforcement and investigative officials, claiming the couple was under investigation and threatening immediate legal action if they didn’t cooperate. Over more than two weeks, the couple was kept under continuous video calls, intimidated and coerced into transferring huge sums of money to accounts controlled by the criminals. |
Rise in Digital arrest cases:
a. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in March 2024, issued a press release, alerting people against incidents of blackmail and digital arrest by cyber criminals impersonating Police authorities, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Department, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Enforcement Directorate and other law enforcement agencies.
b. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, a significant rise in cybercrimes have been reported in the last few years- 10,395 in 2020, 14,007 in 2021 and 17,470 in 2022.
What are the reasons behind rise in the digital arrest cases in India?
- Rapid Digitalisation without Matching Awareness: There has been an explosion of smartphones, online banking, UPI & digital payments in India. However, the legal awareness about arrest procedures has not growth at the same pace. Many citizens are not aware that arrests cannot happen online. This creates a trust gap which has been exploited by the scammers.
- Fear of Law Enforcement & Social Stigma: Fraudsters exploit the fear of police, courts, ED, CBI & the shame linked to the allegations like money laundering or drugs. Victims comply silently instead of verifying with the authorities.
- Sophisticated Social Engineering: Scammers use fake official uniforms, IDs, court orders & caller ID spoofing to confine the victim into a psychological trap. Thus, cybercriminals are using technological and psychological tactics to target citizens.
- Availability of Digital Tools to Criminals: Criminals have easy access to devices & tools like SIM Box, encrypted communication apps, mule bank accounts – using which they are able to route calls & SMSes, bypassing international charges, making foreign calls appear local & funnel the stolen money through mule accounts within minutes, making it impossible for Police to freeze the funds in time.
- The “Shame” Factor: Many victims, especially high-ranking professionals or the elderly, do not report the crime due to the embarrassment of being “duped,” allowing scammers to operate without fear.
- Serious Allegations: By accusing victims of “Money Laundering,” “Narcotics Trafficking (MDMA),” or “Terror Financing,” scammers trigger a “fight or flight” response. The fear of social stigma and a permanent criminal record makes people desperate to “settle” the matter.
What are the concerns with the rising Digital Arrest Fraud cases in India?
- Financial Losses: The financial losses to the victims become impossible to recover because the scammers request payments through untraceable methods like cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers. The financial loss due to digital arrest have grown from ₹91 crore in 2022 to ₹1,935 crore in 2024.
- Negative emotional and Psychological Impact: Victims feel intimidated and psychological pressure, which can lead to anxiety, stress. The scammers use threatening language and claim serious consequences like jail time, asset seizures, or even deportation.
- Data Leaks: Large-scale data breaches (from insurance portals, travel sites, etc.) provide scammers with a “lead list” that includes the victim’s name, Aadhaar number, and financial status, making the initial “official” call sound incredibly credible.
- Targeting the “Wealthy & Vulnerable” (Seniors): Senior citizens and retired professionals often have significant life savings but may not be fully aware of the latest cyber-tactics.
- Organized Cross-Border Syndicates: These are no longer individual hackers but organized “Cyber-Slavery” hubs, mostly operating out of Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar). Scammers are given scripts, trained in Indian accents/languages, and taught how to navigate Indian legal terminology (BNS/BNSS).
- Use of ‘Deepfakes’ & AI:
- Visual Authenticity: Scammers now use AI to create high-quality deepfake videos of real IPS officers, CBI directors, or even sitting judges.
- Virtual Courtrooms: Fraudsters set up elaborate “studio” backgrounds that mimic police stations or courtrooms. On a WhatsApp or Skype call, a victim sees what looks like a genuine judicial proceeding.
- Voice Cloning: AI can now mimic the voice of a family member “calling from the police station,” adding an emotional layer of panic that overrides logical thinking.
What have been the efforts of the government to control these frauds?
| Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) | Formed in December 2025, this high-powered panel is chaired by the Special Secretary (Internal Security) and includes members from RBI, MeitY, DoT, and Ministry of Law. Their mandate is to identify legal gaps and ensure “time-bound compliance” by social media platforms to block scammers. |
| Role of CBI | In 2025, the Supreme Court granted the CBI a countrywide jurisdiction to probe digital arrest cases. This allows the CBI to bypass the need for specific state permissions, enabling them to dismantle interstate and international syndicates more effectively. |
| Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) | The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), part of the cyber and information security division of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is dedicated to address rising cybercrime. Between January and April 2024, I4C recorded Rs 120.30 crore in losses by Indians due to digital arrest scams. |
| Joint Cyber Coordination Teams (JCCTs) | Based at the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), these teams focus on “hotspots” like Mewat, Jamtara, and Ahmedabad. They coordinate raids across state lines to catch the “mule account” holders and technical operators. |
| International Spoofed Calls Prevention System | The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has deployed a system that identifies and blocks international calls that manipulate the “Calling Line Identity” (CLI) to appear as Indian phone numbers (+91). |
| Mass Blocking of Identifiers | By the end of 2025, the government had successfully blocked:
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| Inter-ministerial committee against transnational crime | In May 2024, an inter-ministerial committee, comprising various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, was established to address the increase in transnational cybercrimes targeting Indians, especially from Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia. |
| 1930 Helpline & NCRP | The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) and the 1930 toll-free number allow for the immediate reporting of fraud. |
| CFCFRMS (Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System) | This backend system links police with banks. If a victim reports a fraud within the “Golden Hour,” the system can freeze the funds in the scammer’s account before they are siphoned off. |
| Samanvaya & Pratibimb Platforms | These AI-driven tools provide real-time mapping of cyber-criminal locations and help law enforcement agencies track the movement of money across different states. |
| Uniform Inter-State Laws | Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the government is working to ensure that “Digital Arrest” is explicitly defined as a distinct criminal act of extortion and impersonation, removing any legal ambiguity. |
What Should be the Way Forward?
- Instant Freezing without FIR: Building on the Supreme Court’s December 2025 directive, I4C and banks should be allowed to freeze suspicious accounts immediately upon a 1930 report, even before a formal FIR is filed. The first 60-120 minutes (called the ‘Golden Hour’) after a fraud occurs are critical for fund recovery.
- AI-Driven Transaction Monitoring: Mandating banks to deploy AI/ML models that flag “unusual velocity” (e.g., a senior citizen suddenly transferring a large sum to a new account). This “speed-breaker” approach can halt transactions until a secondary verification is performed.
- SIM & IMEI Blacklisting: Aggressive use of the Sanchar Saathi portal to block not just the SIM, but the entire handset (IMEI) of identified scammers. By January 2026, over 9 lakh SIMs have been blocked, but the goal is to make the hardware itself unusable for any network.
- Mule Account Liability: Making banks legally and financially accountable for “Mule Accounts” opened with weak KYC. If a bank branch consistently hosts accounts used in scams, then penalize the branch or its management.
- “Cyber-Diplomacy”: India is pushing for a specialized BRICS or G20 Cyber-Task Force to allow for the rapid extradition of scammers and the dismantling of “Cyber-Slavery” compounds across borders.
- VoIP Regulation: Tightening the gateway for international VoIP (Internet) calls that spoof Indian numbers (+91). The DoT is moving toward a system where unverified international headers are automatically dropped by telecom providers.
- Specialized Cyber-Courts: To improve the currently low conviction rates, set up dedicated courts to handle digital fraud. The first conviction in 2025 (West Bengal) where nine scammers were given life imprisonment has set a precedent for “deterrence through harsh sentencing.”
- Actions at the personal level:
- Staying Calm: On receiving a suspicious call, one should do not panic. A person should take a moment to assess the situation.
- Verification of Identity: The personal information should not be shared over the phone or video calls.
- Documenting Evidence: A person should try to record the call or take screenshots for evidence. This documentation can be crucial in the times of need of reporting the scam.
- Contacting Authorities: In case of digital arrest cases, a person should report the incident to local police or through national cyber helplines (1930).
- Education and awareness: Education and awareness is the key to avoid digital arrest frauds. Understanding that digital arrests are fraudulent can help the masses recognize and avoid such scams.
Conclusion: In a recent Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister issued a specific mantra to combat this: “Ruko, Socho, Action Lo” (Stop, Think, Take Action). This should become the immediate mantra at the individual level to prevent the digital arrest scam in India.
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| Read More- The Indian Express, The Hindu UPSC Syllabus- GS-3 Internal security challenges (Cyber Security) |
