Nashik retiree duped of Rs 1.6 crore in ‘digital arrest’ cyber scam

Nashik: A 62-year-old retired private company employee from Nashik was defrauded of Rs 1.6 crore by unidentified fraudsters in a sophisticated "digital arrest" scam, prompting the city's cyber police to register a case and launch an investigation.Senior inspector Sanjay Pise, of the cyber police station, said, "The fraud took place between April 4 and 21 this year. The scammers initially contacted the retired man claiming that a bank account had been opened in his name using Aadhaar and PAN details, and later alleged that the account was involved in terror funding and money laundering."Under the pretext of "settling" the fabricated case, the accused coerced the elderly man into transferring around Rs 1.6 crore over multiple transactions during this period. The fraudsters remained in constant contact, isolating the victim and warning him against informing his family members.The fraud came to light only after the victim's family became aware of the situation, following which a complaint was lodged with the cyber police.Pise said this is the third reported case of a "digital arrest" scam in Nashik city this year. He noted that although awareness around such scams has increased — resulting in a drop in overall cases compared to 18-20 incidents reported last year — the threat remains significant.He added that both state and national agencies, along with local police, are actively conducting awareness campaigns to educate citizens about online frauds, including such "digital arrest" schemes.