Digital Arrest: How Doctors are becoming soft targets

The incident occurred days after a doctor from Navi Mumbai fell victim to a cyber fraud, losing Rs. 26.52 lakh. The victim has been identified as a 31-year-old doctor working at Vyas Dental College. He reported the incident to the police after realizing she had been tricked.  

According to Rajendra Choudhary, SHO of Kudi Bhagtasni police station, the doctor received a video call on the evening of 20th September from a person claiming to be Vijay Kulkarni, an officer of the Mumbai Crime Branch. The fraudster, dressed in a police uniform, convinced the doctor that she was implicated in a case involving a bank account linked to her Aadhaar card, reports Times of India. 

The fraudster further intimidated the doctor by sending her a series of documents that appeared authentic, including a supposed arrest warrant, an agreement with the CBI, an asset seizure notice, and a disaster investigation approval. Under pressure and fearing legal consequences, she provided her bank details and transferred Rs. 6 lakh via RTGS to an account as instructed by the scammer.  

The doctor remained on the video call with the imposter until 2 PM the following day, unaware of the fraud. She finally realized the deception when the fraudsters attempted to make another Rs. 6 lakh transaction from her account, prompting her to approach the authorities. "He then told her that an account linked to her Aadhaar card is active in Canara Bank, Mumbai, which has money transactions for illegal activities and she will be kept under digital arrest for the investigation of all her financial details”, Choudhary said.  

The police are now investigating the case and have urged the public to remain cautious against such cyber threats. This incident highlights the growing menace of cybercrime, particularly targeting vulnerable individuals by impersonating officials and creating a false sense of urgency.