Another Case of Digital Arrest: Woman (75) Lost Rs. 21 Lakhs
Kutch’s elderly woman got victimized in a digital arrest fraud case, which made her lose lakhs. How did things take place? Let’s talk about it!
These days, we are continuously hearing about fake Digital Arrest Cases that victimize a huge number of people because of their innocence and naivety. Here, we will talk about a similar incident that made an elderly woman lose a huge amount.
An elderly widow in Kutch lost Rs 21 lakh to con artists posing as police officers and even staging a phony Supreme Court video call after falling victim to the “digital arrest” scam.
But when her daughter, who lives in Dubai, noticed something was wrong and called the police, she was spared more financial ruin.
Summary
| 1. The victim, 75-year-old Vimla Dedhia, was digitally confined to her home in Moti Bhujpar village of Mundra taluka for nearly six days by the fraudsters, who orchestrated an elaborate deception.
2. One of them even appeared on a video call dressed as a Supreme Court judge, seated against a backdrop mimicking the apex court. 3. She was allowed to go to the bank but under surveillance. 4. Dedhia was falsely accused of laundering Rs 35 crore through a bank account allegedly linked to her name. 5. The callers threatened her with arrest, legal consequences, and harm to her family if she disclosed the situation. 6. Intimidated, she did not reveal anything, even to her 47-year-old daughter, who remained in touch with her over the phone throughout. 7. However, from the conversations, her daughter sensed something was wrong and told her friends in Gujarat, who alerted the Mundra police. 8. Cops reached Dedhia’s home and revealed that she was the victim of cyber fraud. |
Process of Loot
| 1. The scam began on May 10, when Dedhia received a voice message from a number claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
2. The message alleged that a SIM card registered in her name had been misused and would be deactivated within two hours. 3. She was asked to press ‘9’ to know more. 4. When she compiled, she was connected to a man claiming to be from Mumbai, who alleged that her mobile number was linked to a fake bank account in Canara Bank used for money laundering. 5. The next day, she received a video call from a person identifying himself as Rahul Yadav from the Mumbai Crime Branch, linking her to a Rs 35 crore scam. 6. The scammers further alleged that she had used the SIM card to speak to a person named Naresh Goyal – supposedly the victim – for 45 minutes. 7. To avoid arrest, they said, she would be placed under ‘digital house arrest.’ 8. They sent her a fake arrest warrant and staged a video call with a man dressed as a judge who claimed to represent the SC. 9. Fearing legal trouble, Dedhia shared all the details of her and her husband’s bank accounts and fixed deposits. 10. The fraudsters sent her fake court documents and instructed her to transfer funds for “case settlement.” 11. She ended up transferring Rs 21 lakh. 12. The scammers monitored her movements through continuous video calls, even when she visited the bank. 13. Dedhia also has a son who stays in Himachal Pradesh and a daughter in Dubai. |
In the end
Under certain provisions of the IT Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a complaint has been submitted to the Cyber Police Station (Border Range).
About The Author
Suraj Koli is a content specialist in technical writing about cybersecurity & information security. He has written many amazing articles related to cybersecurity concepts, with the latest trends in cyber awareness and ethical hacking. Find out more about “Him.”
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