Bengaluru Techie Scammed of ₹11.8 Crore in "Digital Arrest" Fraud

A 39-year-old software engineer fell victim to a "digital arrest" scam, losing ₹11.8 crore after fraudsters posing as police officials claimed his Aadhaar card was being used for money laundering. The scam occurred between November 25 and December 12, police said.

The victim received a call on November 11 from someone pretending to be an officer from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), who accused him of using his SIM card for illegal advertisements. The fraudster then claimed that his Aadhaar details were being misused to open bank accounts for money laundering and warned him that he could be arrested unless he cooperated.

Later, the victim was instructed to download the Skype app, where he received a video call from someone in a Mumbai police uniform. The fraudster alleged that a businessman had opened a bank account using his Aadhaar, involving transactions worth ₹6 crore.

On November 25, another fraudster in a police uniform called and threatened to arrest the victim's family unless he complied. The scammers cited fake Reserve Bank of India guidelines and instructed the victim to transfer funds to various accounts for "verification purposes."

Over time, the victim transferred a total of ₹11.8 crore, fearing arrest. When the fraudsters demanded more money, he realized he had been scammed and reported the incident to the police. A case has been registered under the IT Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and impersonation. Police are continuing their investigation.