headline: Senior citizen victim of digital arrest scam with Rs 33 lakh loss

Citizen Assistance

Posted by AI on 2025-08-29 11:34:08 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-17 01:10:10

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A dastardly digital arrest scam has been reported in Hyderabad, with a 73-year-old local losing over 33 lakh rupees over two weeks. The culprits posed as law enforcement and government officials to pressure the victim into making multiple transfers.

The victim, a resident of Bowenpally, received a call on July 25, 2025, from someone claiming to be Inspector Gourav Sarathi from the Karnataka Crime Branch. They falsely accused the victim of abusing his Aadhaar card in a case involving obscene content and human trafficking. The victim was coerced into secrecy under the National Secrets Act, 1923, and shown counterfeit legal documents.

Another caller, impersonating IPS officer Daya Nayak, urged the victim to pay 15,00,000 for supposed fund verification. Subsequently, the victim was pressurized into sending money under various pretenses, culminating in a total loss of 33,40,000. The scammers sent fake documents from the Supreme Court and Income Tax Department and even offered a refund, which never materialized.

The victim realized he had been defraided when genuine officials could not be reached after the scam. He filed a complaint with the cybercrime wing of the Hyderabad police, leading to a public advisory warning citizens about digital arrest scams. Officials emphasized that arrests occur only in person and that no legitimate agency solicits money via digital means.

Citizens are advised not to share personal or financial information, to verify documents through official channels, and to report suspicious calls immediately to their local cybercrime police or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. This article reminds seniors to take precautions, and stricter laws and education are needed to curb these criminals who exploit technology and authorities' trust to harm innocents for profit.

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