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.

Also Read: Odisha doctor loses Rs 75000 in Cyber Fraud

As per the recent media report in Mathrubhumi, the situation took a critical turn when the fraudsters called again. This time, the police answered the call, but the scammers, noticing the uniformed officers, disconnected and switched off their phones.

A Cyber police official commenting on this case told TNIE, "After learning that financial transactions had taken place, the cops registered a complaint with 1930, the national cyber crime helpline. Since the complaint was filed immediately after the transaction, the cops managed to retrieve Rs 4.2 lakh."

Despite the prompt actions by the authorities, the fraudsters managed to withdraw Rs 4.3 lakh from the victim's account before the transfer was blocked. However, following the coordinated efforts of the Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Operation Team, SBI, and the Changanassery Police, the financial damage was minimized. Authorities are now working diligently to trace the fraudsters and recover the remaining stolen amount.