Coimbatore Doctor Duped of Rs 2.9 Crore in Digital Arrest Scam

Chennai: A city-based doctor was rescued by the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing after falling victim to an elaborate ‘digital arrest’ scam, in which international cyber fraudsters extorted ₹2.9 crore from him. The rescue was confirmed in an official statement released on Friday.

The scam came to light during routine cyber surveillance by the State Cyber Command Centre, led by Superintendent of Police Shahnaz Illyas. The team detected suspicious activity involving two individuals — one in Tamil Nadu and another in Jharkhand. While Jharkhand Police were alerted immediately, a cybercrime team in Tamil Nadu rushed to the doctor’s residence.

Upon arrival, officers found the doctor in a distressed psychological state, fully convinced he was under a legitimate “digital arrest.” He refused to open the door to the police, fearing further legal repercussions, based on false claims made by the scammers.

It reportedly took nearly two hours of patient counselling by cyber crime personnel to help the doctor realise he had been manipulated. Once convinced that he had been deceived, the doctor filed a formal police complaint, and a full-scale investigation is now underway.

Also Read: Mangaluru Doctor Loses Rs 4.2 Lakh in Overseas Job Scam

According to the doctor, he received a call on June 27, purportedly from the Mumbai Cyber Crime Police, accusing him of cyber fraud and threatening arrest unless he transferred large sums of money, reports TNIE.

Speaking to TOI, officials said the victim's banking channels were secured in time, said an officer.

The cybercrime wing has advised citizens to be wary of unsolicited calls claiming legal threats, especially those demanding immediate payment or secrecy. Victims of such scams should immediately report scams by dialling 1930 or logging complaints at www.cybercrime.gov.in.

Also Read: Vellore doctor loses Rs 2.23 crore to part-time job fraud

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that in a shocking case of cyber fraud reported in the city, a 42-year-old doctor from Tamil Nadu's Vellore allegedly lost an astonishing Rs 2.23 crore and 95 thousand in just 19 days to a gang of cyber fraudsters in a part-time job fraud. Altogether eight accused have been arrested from the gang so far, involving an alleged serial cybercriminal from Payyannur.