Karnataka: Puttur Man Duped Of ₹1.31 Crore In Digital Arrest Scam Over Pahalgam Attack

A man from Puttur taluk in Karnataka allegedly lost ₹1.31 crore after fraudsters posing as Mumbai Police and ATS officers accused him of funding those involved in the Pahalgam attack. The scammers threatened him with arrest and forced money transfers.

A man from Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada district allegedly lost ₹1.31 crore after cyber fraudsters posing as Mumbai Police and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officers accused him of funding those involved in the Pahalgam massacre. The scammers allegedly threatened to arrest him and placed him under a so-called ‘digital arrest’, coercing him into transferring money to multiple bank accounts. In a separate incident, a 68-year-old farmer allegedly lost ₹1 lakh after falling victim to an online scam involving a fake advertisement for a senior citizen card.

Continuous Threats Over WhatsApp Video Calls

According to the complaint, the fraudsters repeatedly contacted the man through WhatsApp video calls and threatened him to create fear. They allegedly accused him of funding those involved in the Pahalgam massacre and claimed that they needed to verify his bank accounts and funds.

The scammers then instructed him to transfer money through the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system to various bank accounts. Believing their claims and fearing arrest, the victim transferred a total of ₹1,31,50,000 in multiple transactions between September 2 and October 6, 2026.

He later realised that he had been cheated and contacted the national cybercrime helpline at 1930. He subsequently lodged a complaint with the Dakshina Kannada Cyber Crime Police Station.

Senior Citizen Loses ₹1 Lakh In Online Scam

In a separate incident, a 68-year-old farmer allegedly lost ₹1 lakh after clicking on a fraudulent advertisement on Facebook. He was browsing Facebook on his mobile phone on October 4 when he came across an advertisement offering an online application process for a senior citizen card. When the same advertisement appeared again on October 6, he clicked on the link.

Fraudster Steals Money Using Debit Card Details

Later that afternoon, an unidentified caller contacted the farmer, claiming that his documents needed to be verified for the senior citizen card application. The caller collected some basic information before asking for the farmer’s debit card number and card verification value (CVV).

The victim shared his card details over the phone, following which the fraudster allegedly withdrew ₹1 lakh from his bank account.

The victim has since lodged a complaint with the cybercrime police.