The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch apprehended two individuals from an interstate cyber fraud syndicate that duped a senior citizen woman of Rs 55.50 lakh through a “digital arrest” ruse. The fraudsters, posing as law enforcement officials, coerced the victim using fake legal threats and forged documents.
The victim was contacted via a WhatsApp video call by impostors claiming to be from Colaba Police Station, Mumbai, alleging her involvement in a fraud case. They falsely stated that a warrant had been issued against her and placed her under “digital arrest.” The scammers backed their claims with fabricated documents, including fake FIR details and forged letters from government departments.
Under the guise of verifying her assets, the fraudsters obtained the victim’s bank details and pressured her into transferring funds and taking a gold loan. A total of Rs 55,50,094 was siphoned off through online transactions under duress and psychological manipulation.
The cyber fraud was orchestrated by a network of operatives, with the culprits identified as Sonu Kumar from Gurugram, Haryana, and Pradeep Kumar from Salapur Kheda, Delhi. Sonu Kumar established a bank account under a fictitious company name and shared the credentials with his accomplices to facilitate fraudulent transactions.
