Cybercriminals are baffling even law enforcement agencies with their audacious tricks. The nation was shocked when earlier this week the chairman of the Vardhman group SP Oswal, was conned by fraudsters impersonating Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud in a fake courtroom setting over a video call. The cyber crooks convinced him that he was charged with money laundering and the court "ordered" him to deposit Rs. 7.3 crore as part of the investigation.
The modus operandi took even the police by surprise.
In a tragic incident this week, an Uttar Pradesh teacher was digitally arrested for four hours and forced to shell out money "to save her daughter from prosecution" for being part of a sex racket. The teacher's son busted the con, but she suffered a heart attack and died.
With every con, cybercriminals are improvising, innovating and improving on their techniques of preying on victims, convincing them to fork over large sums of money and managing to stop them from going to the police.
So what is 'digital arrest'? Scammers posing as police or prosecuting officials contact marks online and virtually 'arrest' them for hours or even days in extreme incidents. The victims are not allowed to switch off their video camera or microphone or contact anyone outside the room. The marks fall for it, be it a middle-aged teacher or an 82-year-old industrialist.
Modus operandi
Cybercriminals swindled Rs 1,750 crore from Indians in January-April, during which 7.4 lakh cybercrime complaints were lodged across the country. The alarming rise led to the government disconnecting 2.17 crore mobile connections and blocking 2.26 lakh mobile handsets procured on forged documents and used to commit cyber-fraud. This step may lead to a temporary halt to phishing but it won't be a lasting deterrent. Cybercrooks stay a step ahead, eventually finding workarounds.
Until recently, the digital arrest call was a video WhatsApp call from an unknown number. When the mark picks up, a nude woman is seen on the screen for a few seconds. By the time realisation dawns on the victim, the call gets disconnected. Next comes the blackmail call, with a screenshot of the victim with a nude woman.
The technique has evolved into an elaborate scam with the scammers using technology tools replicating real-life sets to play with the minds of the victims.
Why are even educated people susceptible to digital arrest?
"Digital arrest doesn't exist in law. Criminals play with the emotions of the victims, using fake allegations and threatening them with consequences such as arrest. This intimidating trap coupled with isolation leads to victims shelling out money to save themselves," says Seemant Kumar Singh, senior police officer, Karnataka.
"It is psychological manipulation using AI. Even AI-driven sobbing voices of family members are used to convince victims. Use of technology, police uniforms, DP of police officers, are innovations done by criminals to dupe ignorant victims," he adds.
How to Spot A Digital Arrest Scam?
Cybersecurity experts advise calm and caution. Awareness about law enforcement is a big plus. Ahmedabad-based cyber security consultant Sunny Vaghela has these tips:
- Stay calm and sceptical
- Never take a video call, document, or phone number at face value, even if the number appears legitimate
- Verify the caller's identity by contacting the official agency directly through verified channels
- Be aware that real law enforcement officers will never demand money over the phone or via video calls
- Taking time to verify any request before acting out of fear is key
"To avoid falling victim, it's essential to remain calm and sceptical. Never trust a video call, document, or phone number at face value, even if the number appears legitimate online. Always verify the identity of the caller by contacting the official agency directly through verified channels. Real law enforcement will never demand money over the phone or via video calls. Taking time to verify any request before acting, rather than responding out of fear, is key. Public awareness and education on these tactics are crucial to prevent individuals from falling prey to such sophisticated frauds," says Sunny Vaghela, Ahmedabad-based cyber security consultant.
Action Needed
India scored 98.49 out of 100 in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024 and joined the 'role-model' countries by achieving Tier 1 status. This is about a mechanism in place.
But victims should be careful too. For those who are conned, the government has launched a pan-India helpline 1930 so that best efforts are made to trace the accused and recover the stolen money. "In police terminology, if the money has gone through multiple layers already, it's difficult to recover. Timely reporting is of the essence," says Mr Singh.
More needs to be done at the grassroots level to raise awareness about the risks of innovative types of cyber fraud and its latest manifestation, the digital arrest. "Digital arrest scams are highly deceptive, with criminals going to great lengths to impersonate law enforcement. They often make video calls, adding a visual element to the fraud to enhance the scam's credibility. Combined with fake arrest warrants and legal notices, this creates a highly convincing narrative," says Sunny Vaghela.
Experts believe law enforcement agencies in our country need to be agile in anticipating and thwarting new-age crooks who are adept at disarming and fleecing people using technology.
"A common person does not have much knowledge about the law enforcement agencies because they have never dealt with them. Since their loved ones are seemingly involved, they try to buy their way out of the crisis. That's why educated people with financial resources are also targets," said police officer Singh.
Deep fake technology has already proved to be effective in scamming people. It is a matter of time before the digital arrest scam will incorporate deep fakes to swindle more and more people. International cybercrime syndicates are collaborating, innovating, extorting and sharing the spoils.
Everyone needs a survival guide. The government must teach cyber awareness in schools, rope in best-in-class technical experts and use the services of ethical hackers. Coordination between various international, central and state agencies will be key to creating public awareness and building deterrence.
