A 33-year-old professional working at a private firm in Noida's Sector 50 became the latest victim of an elaborate ‘digital arrest’ scam, losing ₹14 lakh to cybercriminals who impersonated government officials.
The victim, whose identity remains protected, filed her complaint with the cybercrime branch police station on Monday after initially reporting the case through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. Police registered the FIR under multiple sections addressing cheating, extortion, and forgery.
Noida Woman Duped of ₹14L in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam
The fraud began on January 3, 2025, when the woman received a call from an international number. The caller identified himself as ‘Ankit Kumar’ from the telecom department, and immediately created a sense of urgency and fear.
"I was told on the call that there were 17 complaints against the mobile number, including an FIR related to illegal advertisement and harassment, registered in my name," the victim stated in her police complaint.
The scammer threatened immediate consequences, warning that her phone number would be blocked and she would lose access to all cellular networks in India. This created the psychological pressure needed to keep her engaged with the fraudulent scheme.
The False Police Connection
The criminals escalated their deception by offering to help the victim connect directly with police for ‘faster action.’ They gave her a two-hour deadline to submit a police clarification letter or face what they described as ‘dire consequences.’
Following this threat, the fraudsters transferred her call to another person who posed as a Mumbai police officer. This impersonation added legitimacy to their claims and increased the victim's fear and compliance.
The scam reached its peak when the victim was contacted via a video call by a man identifying himself as "Pradip Sawant." He briefly showed his face before turning off the camera, claiming he was ‘recording her statement’ for official purposes.
During this video call, the victim heard police sirens playing in the background, and another voice announced that she was now ‘under digital arrest.’
Psychological Manipulation and Extortion
The scammers employed sophisticated psychological manipulation techniques to break down the victim's resistance. They interrogated her with personal questions and made false accusations about drug use and money laundering connections.
"It felt like torture. They scolded and threatened me constantly," the victim told police investigators. "I was crying, trembling, pleading. I told them I have never been to Mumbai. They kept bullying me mentally, cornering me, humiliating me, and emotionally [manipulating me]."
The criminals falsely claimed her name was connected to a money laundering case involving Naresh Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways, adding another layer of credibility to their fabricated story.
Under extreme psychological pressure and while still on the live video call, the victim was coerced into visiting her bank despite having a ligament injury. The scammers maintained contact throughout this process, ensuring she remained under their control.
"They told me I was doing something good for the country," she recalled, describing how the fraudsters changed their tone after successfully extracting over ₹14 lakh from her bank account.
The victim remained under the scammers' control via video call until her mother noticed her distressed behaviour and intervened. This family intervention proved crucial in breaking the spell of the digital arrest scam.
Police Response and FIR Registration
Cybercrime branch station house officer Ranjeet Kumar Singh confirmed that the case was registered on Monday after a thorough investigation. "The case was then reported to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), and following investigation, a case under relevant sections of cheating of the BNS and the IT Act was registered on Monday," Singh stated.
The FIR includes multiple serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: sections 308(2) for extortion, 319(2) for cheating by personation, 318(4) for cheating, and sections 336(4), 338, and 340 for various forgery-related offences. Additional charges were filed under sections 66 and 66D of the Information Technology Act.
The victim's family alleged that no immediate action was taken when they initially filed the complaint on the national cybercrime reporting portal.
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