Bengaluru Lecturer Duped of ₹2 Crore in “Digital Arrest” Scam
Bengaluru Lecturer Duped of ₹2 Crore in “Digital Arrest” Scam
A Bengaluru lecturer has fallen victim to a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, losing nearly ₹2 crore after fraudsters manipulated her into selling her home and property.
The victim, Babita Das, lived with her 10-year-old son in Vignan Nagar. In June, she received a call from someone posing as a courier official, who claimed that suspicious baggage linked to her Aadhaar card had been seized. The call was then transferred to individuals impersonating Mumbai Police officers, who threatened her with arrest and ordered her not to leave her home until “verification” was complete.
The scammers instructed her to install a mobile application and warned that her son would suffer consequences if she failed to comply. Terrified for her child’s safety, Das followed their demands. She sold two plots in Malur at throwaway prices and later disposed of her Vignan Nagar flat. The proceeds were transferred directly into the fraudsters’ accounts. She even borrowed money from a bank and handed it over to them.
In total, Das lost around ₹2 crore. The fraudsters eventually told her to visit a nearby police station to reclaim her money, before abruptly cutting off contact and switching off their phones.
Das has since lodged a complaint with the Whitefield Cyber Crime Police Station, and authorities have launched an investigation into the scam.
