By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

An 83-year-old retired bank employee from Habsiguda was duped of ₹80,64,002 in a ‘digital arrest’ scam carried out by cyber criminals impersonating officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), police, and even the Supreme Court.

The Hyderabad cyber crimes police booked a case.

As per an officer from the wing, on July 12, the victim received a call from a fraudster claiming that his Aadhaar card had been misused and linked to human trafficking operations in Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines, where people were being forced into cyber fraud.

“To add weight to the false charges, the criminals sent him a tampered Canara Bank ATM card in his name and a forged Supreme Court notice portraying him as an accused,” said the officer.

Terrified by the serious allegations and threats, the senior citizen began transferring large sums of money to the fraudsters over multiple transactions. He later realised that the entire exercise was a scam designed to exploit his fear and vulnerability.

Cybercrime officials clarified that there is no such thing as a ‘digital arrest’ and that neither police nor any government agency would ever demand money transfers for investigation or verification. They warned that fraudsters are increasingly impersonating TRAI, CBI and other authorities, often using fake documents such as FIRs, warrants, and court orders to trick victims.

Victims of cyber fraud can report incidents to the 1930 helpline or lodge complaints on www.cybercrime.gov.in. In Hyderabad, emergency assistance is available via 8712665171. For awareness updates, citizens can follow the Cybercrime Police Station on its social media platforms.