The proposed solution is a one-hour delay for digital transactions exceeding Rs 10,000, particularly when the transfer is made to a new or unverified beneficiary. The idea is simple -- give users a window to reconsider, detect fraud or alert their bank before the funds are irretrievably transferred.
The Supreme Court has directed the CBI to conduct a pan-India investigation into digital arrest scams and questioned the RBI about its lack of AI usage in detecting and freezing accounts used by cybercriminals.
An 83-year-old Pune resident died of a heart attack after being defrauded of Rs 1.2 crore in a 'digital arrest' scam. Fraudsters posing as police and CBI personnel targeted the man and his wife, threatening them with arrest in a money laundering case.
A court in Thane district granted bail to CoinDCX co-founders Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal, who were arrested in connection with an alleged cheating case involving Rs 71.60 lakh. The court cited a lack of prima facie evidence against them.
The Indian government has extended the deadline for implementing SIM-binding rules for mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to December 31, following requests from the industry. The Department of Telecom has also relaxed the mandatory six-hour log-out rule for web versions of these apps.
Cyber fraudsters posing as ED and CBI officials duped a retired banker in Delhi of Rs 23 crore by allegedly putting him under 'digital arrest' for nearly a month.
A man was arrested in Gujarat for allegedly receiving a significant portion of Rs 3.71 crore siphoned off from a Mumbai woman in a 'digital arrest' scam. The cybercriminals impersonated law enforcement and court officials, staging a fake online hearing to deceive the victim.
The Supreme Court has restrained lower courts from releasing the accused in a digital arrest fraud case where a 72-year-old lawyer was duped of Rs 3.29 crore. The court expressed concern over the growing cybercrime and the targeting of elderly citizens.
It said that when a retiree, who withdraws amounts in the range of Rs 10,000 or Rs 20,000, suddenly withdraws huge amounts, then the bank should issue an alert.
The Supreme Court has expressed serious concerns about the rise in digital fraud, particularly digital arrest scams, and has directed the central government to develop a standard operating procedure to combat these crimes.
A 57-year-old woman in Bengaluru was allegedly defrauded of approximately Rs 32 crore in a 'digital arrest' scam. Posing as CBI officers, fraudsters coerced her into sharing financial details and making numerous bank transfers over six months.
The accused, who duped the woman of Rs 6.60 lakh during the ordeal between September 5 and 8, continued to send messages even after her death on September 8.
The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over the rising cases of digital arrest cybercrime in India, where fraudsters extort money from victims by posing as law enforcement officials. The court has vowed to deal with such cases with an iron hand and has sought reports from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the CBI.
The Supreme Court has directed the government to raise awareness, compensate, and protect vulnerable individuals who have lost money in cyber scams. The court's remarks came while granting bail to an accused in a cybercrime case, emphasizing the need for public education and cybersecurity awareness.
Bengaluru police recovered Rs 14 lakh lost by BJP MP's wife in a cyber fraud through 'digital arrest'.
The Supreme Court is considering entrusting the CBI with the investigation into digital arrest cases, citing the magnitude and pan-India spread of such crimes. The court has sought details of FIRs registered in different states and union territories and is monitoring the progress of the investigation.
The Supreme Court has taken serious note of the digital arrest of a senior citizen couple in Haryana based on forged orders, highlighting the rising number of such cases and seeking responses from the Centre and CBI.
Cyber fraudsters have duped Delhi residents of nearly Rs 1,000 crore so far this year, with investment scams, digital arrests and boss scams emerging as the most common cybercrimes.
President Droupadi Murmu addressed Indian Police Service probationers, highlighting the growing threat of 'digital arrest' scams and emphasizing the importance of ethical policing and public service.
'Just like oral hygiene, cyber hygiene must become a daily habit,' says Beena Vaheed, executive director, Bank of Baroda. 'It is not enough to rely only on banks, companies, or the government. Each of us must play our part.'
Pune police have arrested a Telangana-based electronics engineer for an alleged online fraud with a private university of Rs 2.46 crore.
The money that was allegedly siphoned by fraudsters from Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee's dormant account with a nationalised bank earlier this week has been credited back to him by the bank authorities, the politician said.
The accused had links with six persons, arrested on November 3 from Morbi, Surendranagar, Surat and Amreli districts, for allegedly routing Rs 200 crore to Dubai-based cybercriminals using nearly 100 mule accounts, the release said.
Trai has ordered BFSI firms to move service and transaction calls to the 1600 series from 2026 to reduce spam, financial fraud, and rising digital arrest scams.
Cyberabad police apprehended nine individuals for allegedly operating an international fake call centre that defrauded Australian citizens of millions of rupees over two years.
The fraudsters threatened the victim, claiming that ATS Delhi had conducted a search operation in Mumbai in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack, and that his name had surfaced alongside those of builders, industrialists, and bureaucrats.
In the month of May, the victim got a call from a person identifying himself as telecom department staffer Amit Kumar, who told her a SIM card had been bought with her personal details for use in criminal activities.
Political parties in West Bengal, including the ruling TMC and opposition BJP, have condemned the organizers of an event featuring Lionel Messi in Kolkata after it descended into chaos due to spectators' inability to properly view the football star. Demands for action and accountability have been made.
Targets should avoid panicking and hang up. 'Disconnecting stops the scammers from building psychological pressure.'
A 39-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru lost Rs 11.8 crore to fraudsters who impersonated police officials and claimed his Aadhaar card was being misused for money laundering. The victim was threatened with "digital arrest" and tricked into transferring money to various bank accounts over a period of time, believing his family would be arrested if he didn't comply. The fraud occurred between November 25 and December 12, and police have registered a case under the IT Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating and cheating by impersonation. Further investigation is underway.
Murders disguised as accidents. In one horrifying case, a man insured his father, mother, and wife -- then allegedly killed them all. He claimed Rs 54 crore in insurance.
Cyber fraudsters posing as Delhi ATS and Jammu & Kashmir police personnel cheated an elderly woman from Mumbai of Rs 22 lakh after accusing her of spying for Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday.
A retired banker in Delhi lost his entire life savings, amounting to Rs 23 crore, to cyber fraudsters who posed as ED and CBI officers. The victim was kept under 'digital arrest' for over a month and forced to transfer funds under duress.
Some online fraudsters got their target and timing horribly wrong on Sunday after they attempted to 'digitally arrest' a senior police official with an automated call over 'credit card misuse' while he was addressing a press conference in Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
'Big Week For #USIndia Law Enforcement Collaboration'
A mechanical engineer in Faridabad was held 'digitally' hostage for six days by cyber fraudsters who duped him of Rs 3.46 lakh. The fraudsters forced him to lock himself in a room and monitored his activities through his mobile camera. They convinced him that he was involved in a drug smuggling operation and threatened him with legal action. The victim eventually realized the scam when the fraudsters forgot to switch off their mics and started talking to each other. Police have registered an FIR and are investigating the matter.
The advisory depicted the logos of social media platforms like WhatsApp and Skype to showcase that calls for such scams are made using such platforms.
Digital house arrest is a tactic where cybercriminals confine victims to their homes in order to scam them. The offenders generate fear by making audio or video calls, frequently posing as law enforcement officers using AI-generated voices or video technology.
As per the advisory of cyber-security agency CERT-In, a digital arrest is the one in which victims receive a phone call, an e-mail or a message claiming they are under investigation for illegal activities, such as identity theft or money laundering.
Seventeen persons, including four hailing from Taiwan, were arrested by Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch for allegedly operating a nationwide 'digital arrest' racket, a Gujarat police official said on Monday.
