Bengaluru techie loses alarming Rs 11.8 crore in 'digital arrest' fraud involving fake TRAI & police officers

A 39-year-old software engineer from GKVK Layout, near Hebbal, Bengaluru, became the victim of an elaborate digital arrest fraud, losing a shocking Rs 11.8 crore over a period of several weeks, between November 25 and December 12.

Bengaluru techies loses alarming Rs 11.8 crore in 'digital arrest' fraud involving fake TRAI & police officers snt

Sunita Iyer

First Published Dec 23, 2024, 12:10 PM IST | Last Updated Dec 23, 2024, 12:11 PM IST

The victim, identified as Vijay (name changed), filed a complaint with the North-East CEN Crime police after realizing he had been tricked by fraudsters posing as government and law enforcement officials.

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How the digital arrest fraud unfolded

The scam began on November 11 when Vijay received a call from a person using the phone number 8791120931. The caller introduced himself as an officer from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), claiming that a SIM card in Vijay's name had been used for illegal activities, including sending harassing advertisements and messages. The fraudster alleged that Vijay's Aadhaar was used to obtain the SIM and that the process of blocking it was already in progress. The caller also informed him that a case had been registered at the Colaba cyber police station in Mumbai.

Vijay then received a second call from 7420928275, made by another individual, who identified himself as a police officer. This person warned that Vijay's Aadhaar had been used to open bank accounts for money laundering. The fraudster instructed Vijay not to discuss the matter with anyone, including family members, as the case involved influential individuals already arrested in connection with money laundering activities. They further threatened to arrest Vijay physically if he did not cooperate with the “virtual investigation.”

The situation took a more sinister turn when a third call came from 9997342801, with the caller instructing Vijay to download the Skype app. During a video call, the fraudster, dressed in a police uniform, claimed that businessman Naresh Goyal had used Vijay's Aadhaar to open an account at Canara Bank and conduct transactions worth around Rs 6 crore.

On November 25, Vijay received another call from a person claiming to be a police officer via Skype. This individual told the Bengaluru techie that the case was being heard in the Supreme Court and that he needed to cooperate to avoid the arrest of his family members. The fraudsters claimed that, in line with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, they needed to verify Vijay's bank account transactions by transferring money to bank accounts provided by them. They assured him that the funds would be returned after verification.

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Victim transfers Rs 11.8 crore in multiple transactions

Fearing legal consequences and the physical arrest of his family members, Vijay transferred Rs 75 lakh initially, followed by Rs 3.41 crore to various bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. Over the course of several weeks, Vijay transferred a total of Rs 11.8 crore. As the fraudsters continued to press for more money, Vijay realized that he had been scammed and immediately contacted the police on December 12.

A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and sections 318 (cheating) and 319 (cheating by impersonation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation is ongoing, though the victim has declined to comment further on the matter.

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