Trapped in a Digital Web: Mumbai Woman, 77, Defrauded of $450,000 in Month-Long 'Arrest' Scam

Mumbai(The Uttam Hindu): A 77-year-old lady from Mumbai lost $450,000 due to a "digital arrest" scam. The new worrying trend for India under which scammers, masquerading as officers of the law, contacted her via WhatsApp and accused her of fraud in laundering money. The rogues threatened her with arrest and kept this "digital arrest" going on for over a month, compelling her to transfer hefty amounts.

This incident is part of a larger wave of digital scams in India, as instances are being reported from cities like Pune, Chandigarh, and Hyderabad. Digital scammers are using Skype to pose as police officers and dupe gullible people. The police have taken the matter seriously and upped their crackdown against such fraudsters: Ahmedabad police recently arrested 17 accused of these scams.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has realized the gravity of the situation, urging citizens to remain extra cautious and vigilant when dealing with unknown people over the Internet. As online frauds increase their spread across the nation, the government has been working in conjunction with various agencies to counter this rampant threat and minimize further losses to the economy.