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An 82 year old woman in Delhi was psychologically trapped through a so called digital arrest scam and coerced into transferring her life savings. The case exposes how cyber fraud networks misuse fear, technology and fake authority to exploit the elderly.
82 year old woman trapped in digital arrest scam.
New Delhi: A shocking case of cyber fraud has emerged from Delhi where an elderly woman was tricked into parting with a massive sum of money. The victim, aged eighty two, was allegedly placed under what fraudsters described as a digital arrest. Through fear, intimidation and deception, she was forced to transfer more than one crore rupees to accounts controlled by a cyber crime syndicate.
The woman lives in south Delhi and had been leading a quiet life after the death of her husband, who served as a government employee. Her daughter resides abroad, leaving the elderly woman largely dependent on herself for daily affairs. This isolation made her particularly vulnerable to the psychological pressure applied by the scammers.
The fraud began with a video call on April twenty five. During the call, the accused posed as law enforcement officials and presented a fake arrest order on screen. The visual display of authority was enough to convince the victim that she was facing serious legal trouble. She was repeatedly warned of dire consequences if she did not cooperate.
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Under constant pressure and fear of arrest, the woman was instructed to follow specific directions. She was told to visit her bank and transfer funds immediately. Believing she had no choice, she carried out multiple RTGS transfers, eventually losing a total of one crore sixteen lakh rupees.
Investigators discovered that most of the stolen money was transferred to a current account held in the name of a non government organisation based in Himachal Pradesh. Despite the account location, it was allegedly being operated by fraudsters sitting in Patna, Bihar. This revealed the multi state nature of the operation.
Further checks showed that the same bank account had been linked to dozens of complaints on the national cyber crime reporting platform. The total fraud amount connected to this account alone was estimated to be around twenty four crore rupees, pointing to a well organised and repeat offender network.
Based on financial trails and technical evidence, police conducted raids across Himachal Pradesh and Bihar. Three individuals were arrested, each playing a different role in the scam. Their actions revealed how cyber fraud groups divide responsibilities to avoid detection and maximise profits.
One accused was responsible for installing malicious software that helped activate SIM cards linked to fraudulent bank accounts. He coordinated with other cyber criminals using virtual numbers and handled cash commissions. Another accused managed bank account kits, arranged meetings and facilitated transactions from hotels. The third accused ran an NGO and allegedly provided its bank account for laundering money, sharing credentials and one time passwords for smooth execution.
Out of the total cheated amount, police managed to freeze and return seventeen lakh rupees to the victim. Efforts are continuing to trace and recover the remaining funds. Authorities are also probing deeper to identify more members of the syndicate and uncover additional proceeds of crime.
This case highlights how scammers exploit fear and technology to target elderly individuals. It serves as a reminder for families to stay connected with senior members and educate them about such digital threats.
