Digital Arrest Scam: 70-Year-Old Woman In Dehradun Loses Rs 3.09 Crore After Fraudsters Pose As CBI Officers, Deceive Her With Rs. 68 Crore Money-Laundering Case

It all started with a video call and a harsh warning: “Your numbers come up in an Rs 68 crore money-laundering case. You’re about to be arrested.”

70-Year-Old Woman Loses Rs 3.09 Crore in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam

For a 70-year-old woman living in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, that single call flipped her world upside down. Fear took over. She cut herself off from friends and family, and her savings vanished. By the time she figured out it was a scam, she’d lost Rs 3.09 crore.

Police said on Sunday that she filed a complaint at the Cyber police station on Friday. Now, they’re investigating.

Back to the call; that’s where everything went sideways. On September 1 last year, she picked up a video call from someone claiming to be a Central Bureau of Investigation officer.

He told her her phone number was tied to a massive money-laundering case Rs 68 crore and that she could end up behind bars.

And it got worse. The man said if she told anyone, her kids would be dragged into it too. She was terrified of getting her family involved, so she stayed quiet.

From Fear to Financial Ruin: Inside a Rs 3 Crore Cyber Fraud Case

The scammers didn’t stop there. They convinced her she was being watched all the time, called a “digital arrest.” If she didn’t follow their instructions, she’d be taken in right away.

Then came their so-called solution. They said she could protect herself, just temporarily, if she transferred her savings to specific bank accounts.

They promised the money would come back to her once the “investigation” was over.

She believed them. Scared and desperate, she started sending money. Between September and October 2025, she transferred Rs 3.09 crore to the accounts the scammers gave her.

The woman did everything she could, broke her fixed deposits, sold shares, even mortgaged her jewellery to get enough money. Every time she sent money, she thought she was keeping herself out of jail.

Police Probe Massive Digital Arrest Scam in Dehradun

Now, police are digging into the details. They’re pulling up call records and checking out the bank accounts where the money ended up.

Investigators are trying to untangle the group behind this scam, a kind that’s becoming more common, with fraudsters scaring people through video calls while pretending to be top law enforcement officers.

For this woman, what should have been an ordinary day last September turned into months of anxiety and financial disaster—all because of a single call.

Police are urging everyone not to panic if they get calls like this. Always check with official agencies before moving any money. Don’t let fear make the decisions for you.

MUST READ: Who Was Saifullah? Jaish Commander Among Two JeM Terrorists Shot Down In Encounter By Armed Forces In J&K’s Kishtwar