74-year-old woman loses 1 cr over 32 days in Kol’s longest digi-arrest

Kolkata: A 74-year-old resident of Palm Avenue in the Karaya area has fallen victim to the city's longest "digital arrest" fraud, with scammers holding her under "virtual custody" for 32 days and allegedly defrauding her of over Rs 1 crore.The septuagenarian was targeted by fraudsters posing as federal investigators, who kept her under constant surveillance during the period before siphoning off the money.This is the fourth major case reported to the Kolkata Police within 48 hours. During this period, the city has lost over Rs 2.2 crore to online predators, with other victims reported from Sovabazar and Picnic Garden.The Palm Avenue woman's ordeal began on Feb 27 when the victim, who lives alone, received WhatsApp calls from individuals claiming to be from federal agencies like the CBI. They alleged that her name had surfaced in a massive money laundering probe.The callers moved the interaction to video, where one individual appeared in a police uniform, seated in a room designed to look like an official cabin. The accused put pressure on her to keep talking to this "officer" on an hourly basis.The victim was told she was under "digital arrest" and was strictly forbidden from disclosing the matter to anyone, including her son. For over a month, the scammers maintained a 24-hour online and even offline surveillance over her. They claimed that a surveillance team was stationed outside her residence and that she was being followed every time she stepped out."The perpetrators exploited her isolation, convincing her that any non-compliance would lead to the immediate arrest of both her and her son," a senior police official said. The victim was directed to visit multiple banks to initiate nine separate RTGS transfers to various accounts provided by the gang.The scam only came to light in early this month when the victim's son noticed her deteriorating emotional state. After he returned to the city and gained her confidence, the family approached the police."Scammers are aware that the administrative focus is currently on the polls," said a senior officer from the divisional cell. "And a vacuum in awareness campaigns has allowed interstate gangs to re-penetrate the city's digital landscape, targeting the most vulnerable."Police sources highlighted a disturbing trend: almost all recent victims are senior citizens. Cops attribute this to a "generational trust in authority" and digital isolation.Kolkata Police have issued a fresh alert, reminding citizens that no law enforcement agency will ever demand money over a video call to clear a name in a criminal case.
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