On 28 October, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant described digital arrest scams as "digital dacoity" and voiced concern about the organised targeting of senior and retired citizens.
The remarks came while the Supreme Court declined a petition seeking to consolidate 35 cybercrime cases from 12 states. Those cases involved a company's bank accounts allegedly being used to move the proceeds of cyber crime. The petitioners withdrew their plea.
What is a "digital arrest" scam?
Fraudsters pose as police, CBI, customs or other officials on a video call. They claim the victim is linked to drugs, money laundering or a suspicious parcel, declare them under "digital arrest", keep them on camera for hours, forbid them from telling anyone, and pressure them into transferring savings "for verification".
There is no such thing as a digital arrest in Indian law. No agency arrests people over video calls or asks for money to clear their name.
Why senior citizens are targeted
- They are more likely to have savings and fixed deposits.
- They tend to respect authority and may fear legal trouble.
- They may live alone, making isolation tactics easier.
Five-minute conversation to have with parents
- Police and government agencies never conduct arrests or investigations on WhatsApp or Skype video calls.
- It's always okay to hang up — even if the caller is in uniform.
- Call a family member before acting on any call about legal trouble or money.
- Never transfer money, share OTPs or install apps because a caller asked.
- Save 1930 (cyber crime helpline) in their phone.
If money has been sent
Call 1930 immediately and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Then inform the bank. The first hour matters most for freezing funds.
For a detailed breakdown of the tactics used, read our digital arrest scam explainer.
Sources: The420.in
