A software engineer in Bengaluru lost Rs 11.8 crore to a digital arrest scam in just 18 days, in one of the biggest cybercrimes reported in the city.
The 39-year-old software engineer, who resides in GKVK Layout near Hebbal, filed the complaint with North-East CEN police station on December 12. He claimed that the fraud occurred between November 25 and December 12.
According to the police, the amount lost in this case far exceeds the typical sum in such frauds. They said the victim’s ordeal began on November 11 when he received a call from a person who claimed to be an officer of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The “officer” alleged that a SIM card linked to the victim’s Aadhaar was used for illegal advertisements and harassment messages. He said a case was registered in this regard in Mumbai’s Colaba Cyber Police Station.
Shortly afterward, another individual contacted the victim, claiming to be a police officer. He alleged that the victim’s Aadhaar was being misused to open bank accounts for money laundering. The caller warned him to keep the matter confidential, citing the involvement of influential individuals already under arrest for similar offences. He also threatened physical arrest if the victim failed to cooperate with their so-called “virtual investigation.”
Before long, yet another caller instructed the victim to download the Skype app. A “representative of the Mumbai police”, dressed in police uniform, video-called the victim and alleged that businessman Naresh Goyal had opened a Canara Bank account using the victim’s Aadhaar to conduct transactions worth Rs 6 crore.
On November 25, a “senior police officer” contacted the victim over Skype and claimed the case was being heard in the Supreme Court. He threatened to arrest the man’s family if he failed to comply. The fraudsters then reportedly cited a fake Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guideline and convinced him to transfer funds to designated accounts for “verification purposes.”
Fearing arrest and other consequences, the victim first transferred Rs 75 lakh to one account, followed by Rs 3.41 crore to another. By December 12, he had allegedly sent a total of Rs 11.8 crore to various accounts controlled by the fraudsters. When the demands for money escalated, the victim realised that he had been scammed and approached the police.
The police have registered a case under the Information Technology Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections 318 (cheating) and 319 (cheating by impersonation).
In 2024, Bengaluru has lost a staggering Rs 1,806 crore to cybercrimes as of November 30. Although the number of cases has decreased compared to 2023, residents have lost over 168 per cent more amount than the previous year, which translates to a loss of Rs 5.40 crore to cybercrimes every day.
According to the police, of the total Rs 1,806 crore lost, accounts containing Rs 611 crore have been frozen, and Rs 122 crore has been recovered. This marks the highest recovery achieved by the Bengaluru city police in connection with cybercrime.
A police officer said cybercrimes in Bengaluru this year may approach an all-time high recorded last year. In 2023, Bengaluru reported 17,632 cybercrimes, while in the first 11 months of 2024, the city recorded 16,357 cases, averaging 48 cybercrimes daily. In 2022, Bengaluru city police reported no digital arrest cases but the figure surged to 403 cases in 2023 and has reached 1,417 cases this year.
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