Kerala Doctor escapes Digital Arrest by fraudsters, Rs 4.2 lakh recovered

Changanassery: In a recent cyber fraud case, a doctor from Changanassery avoided a major financial loss after fraudsters, posing as Mumbai Police officers, tricked him into transferring ₹5 lakh. However, a significant portion of the defrauded amount was recovered following the swift intervention of the local bank, law enforcement, and cybercrime authorities.

The incident unfolded on Tuesday when the doctor was contacted by cybercriminals impersonating police officials. They falsely accused the doctor of being involved in illegal activities. In a state of panic following the phone call, the doctor visited the Perunna branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) to transfer ₹5 lakh to an account in North India. The bank’s internal security system flagged the unusual transaction, as it was linked to a North Indian account, raising suspicions of potential fraud. In response, the bank immediately alerted the local police, who acted swiftly to investigate the situation.

Following the bank’s alert, the officers under the instructions of the DySP reached the bank, obtained the doctor's address, and visited his residence in Perunna. Initially, the doctor insisted that the money was being sent to a friend and was hesitant to file an official complaint. However, when the police examined his mobile phone, they discovered that he had been receiving video calls from individuals impersonating Mumbai Police officers. These scammers had fabricated a scenario where they claimed to have the doctor under digital arrest, threatening him with dire consequences unless he transferred the money.