Noida Doctor duped of Rs 60 lakh in fake digital arrest scam over obscene video allegations

Noida: A Noida-based doctor was cheated of around Rs 60 lakh in a digital house arrest scam. The cyber frauds who allegedly posed as officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said that an arrest warrant was issued for the circulation of obscene videos from a phone number registered in her name.

The accused, posing as officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), coerced her into transferring her money under the threat of a fabricated arrest warrant, officials said.

The technique of "digital house arrest" involves cybercriminals trapping victims in their homes while scamming them, often through fear-inducing audio or video calls. These criminals frequently use AI-generated voices or video technology to impersonate law enforcement officers. 

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The caller alleged that another phone number registered in her name had been used to purchase illegal obscene videos. They warned her that failure to transfer all her funds would result in an arrest warrant, the police said.

According to a PTI report, sharing further details about the case, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Vivek Ranjan Rai said, "The woman was connected (on call) to 'Tilak Nagar Police Station, Mumbai', where she was falsely informed about an FIR and arrest warrant related to the circulation of illegal pornographic videos linked to her name."

The scamsters escalated the situation by implicating her in a money laundering case investigation, he said.

"The callers instructed her to join a video call, during which they employed various threats, placing her under 'digital arrest'. They menaced her with potential harm to her and her family, including the abduction of her daughter," said ACP Rai.

The doctor complied with their demands and ended up transferring Rs 59,54,000 from her bank account to those of the fraudsters between July 15 and July 16, he said.

In her police complaint, Goel mentioned, "The fraudsters also have my Aadhaar card details and photographs which they can misuse. I request police to take action in the matter immediately."

An FIR was lodged at the Cyber Crime police station in Sector 36, Noida, on Monday. The police have filed charges under sections 308(2) [extortion], 319(2) [impersonation], and 318(4) [cheating] of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, as well as relevant sections of the IT Act.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Cyber Crime Police Station earlier this month issued a detailed advisory to raise public awareness about the increasing threat of cybercrime, highlighting several prevalent scams and provided crucial precautions for citizens to avoid falling victim to these fraudulent activities, adds PTI.

The advisory warned of a specific scam involving calls received from unknown or international numbers on mobile phones or WhatsApp wherein the caller typically impersonates officials from the Customs Department, Narcotics Department, or CBI, claiming that the recipient's documents were found in a suspicious package containing drugs, documents, clothing, an Aadhar card, and a SIM card.

The police also urged citizens to immediately report cyber offences at 112 or 1930.