Hyderabad retiree loses Rs 74 lakh to digital arrest scam

A retired government employee in Hyderabad lost Rs 74.5 lakh to a “digital arrest” scam involving fraudsters who impersonated Mumbai police and Enforcement Directorate officials.

The victim, a former public sector insurance employee, reported that scammers contacted her claiming her Aadhaar details were used to obtain a SIM card for illegal activities. The fraudsters used forged bank statements and fake court summons to accuse her of money laundering and terror funding. Under the guise of checking her savings through a “protected RBI-linked account,” the scammers convinced the victim and her husband to transfer the funds.

Police have registered a case involving charges of extortion, cheating, personation, and forgery under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.