A 90-year old retired Air Force Doctor at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh was reportedly swindled of almost Rs 2.5 crore because he was confined in what the fraudsters termed as a digital arrest, something extending 25 days.
What Happened Here?
As per his complaint, the nightmare started on January 25 when he got a phone call in which he was told that he was affiliated to an investigating agency. The adolescent caller claimed that the doctor had misused the identity documents to engage in criminal activities and threatened to arrest and prosecute him soon. The menace made the old man frightened and confused, and he was at risk of continuing to be manipulated.
The fraudsters were in constant touch with him via video call and repeated messages in pretext of an online surveillance or verification procedure. They have provided such an environment that made the victim believe he is a part of a formal legal process. He was even told that he should not tell his family members as it was part of the rules of confidentiality and informed him that giving information would aggravate his legal situation. The accused could exploit his seniority and loneliness and imposed constant mental stress upon him and slowly convinced him to transfer money to several bank accounts. The doctor allegedly paid off approximately Rs 2.5 crore in installments after approximately 25 days because the doctor thought it was a legal formality to clear his name.
Police Probe On
This money laundering scheme was unraveled when the bank officials realized that his account had unusually high and frequent transactions and when they asked him why he had made them, he could not provide a reason. In this contact, the physician realised that he had been swindled and fell prey to cyber criminals. Then he came before the office of the Superintendent of Police and made a formal complaint. According to police officials, the caller had mentioned the names of various investigative agencies to frighten the victim and persuade her into giving in to his or her demands. An accused has been registered, and the case is being investigated so as to identify and track the culprit behind the elaborate digital arrest fraud.
