Key facts
- CBI searched over 80 locations across India simultaneously
- Operation targets organised digital arrest scam networks
- Digital arrest scams involve fake law enforcement impersonation
- PM Modi had earlier publicly warned citizens about this fraud
The Central Bureau of Investigation launched a sweeping nationwide operation against digital arrest scams, conducting searches at over 80 locations across India — marking one of the largest coordinated law-enforcement actions against cyber fraud in recent memory.
Digital arrest scams involve criminals posing as police officers, CBI officials, customs officers or other government authorities, who call victims and falsely claim they are under investigation. Victims are placed under a form of fake "digital arrest" — kept on video call for hours or days — and psychologically coerced into transferring large sums of money.
The scale of the CBI operation reflects the seriousness with which authorities are now treating the problem. Earlier this year, an Ahmedabad case covered separately showed how a colleague's timely intervention helped save a senior citizen from falling victim to just such a scam — illustrating both the vulnerability of targets and the importance of awareness.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously addressed the nation specifically about digital arrest fraud, warning citizens not to panic if they receive such calls and to report them immediately. Authorities say the scams are often run by organised networks, and the CBI's multi-location searches suggest a coordinated attempt to dismantle at least some of these operations.