Key facts
- Retired bank manager in Ghaziabad defrauded of Rs 2.2 crore
- Kept under 'digital arrest' for 12 continuous days
- Scammers posed as law enforcement officers via video call
A retired bank manager in Ghaziabad was held captive by cyber fraudsters for 12 consecutive days through a 'digital arrest' — a form of scam in which criminals pose as police, CBI, or customs officers, confine the victim on a continuous video call, and systematically drain their savings. By the time the ordeal ended, the victim had been defrauded of Rs 2.2 crore.
The 'digital arrest' method has emerged as one of the most pernicious cyber-crime trends in India, with the Prime Minister himself having warned citizens about it in his Mann Ki Baat address last year. Fraudsters typically manufacture a fake crisis — a package containing drugs, a money-laundering allegation — and demand the victim stay on camera while transferring funds to 'clear their name'. The psychological isolation is total and deliberately prolonged.
That a former bank manager — someone with professional financial experience — could be subjected to 12 days of such captivity and lose Rs 2.2 crore underscores how psychologically sophisticated these operations have become. The scammers exploit fear, authority, and isolation in equal measure, leaving even educated and financially aware individuals vulnerable.
Ghaziabad Police are investigating the case. Authorities continue to urge citizens to immediately disconnect any unsolicited call from someone claiming to be a government official demanding money or online compliance, and to report such attempts to the cyber crime helpline 1930.