Digital Arrest Fraud Targets Senior Citizen in Kolkata, Leading to ₹33 Lakh Loss Through CBI Identity Scam

In a disturbing case of digital arrest fraud, which is growing increasingly widespread in India, an 80-year-old man from Rash Behari Avenue near Gariahat lost ₹33 lakh. Three fraudsters posing as CBI officers contacted the elderly person in mid-June, starting the whole situation. The callers, Ankit Verma, Bijoy Paul, and Amit Kumar, used force and intimidation to convince him that he was "digitally arrested," an imaginary phrase meant to scare and puzzle anyone unfamiliar with digital systems.

The old man followed their directions and used RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement) to transfer the money into bank accounts that the criminals had provided since he was afraid and didn't know what was going on.Together with local police, the cyber cell of the southeast division is currently looking into the matter, which was reported to the Gariahat Police Station.

The police have recovered ₹8 lakh so far, and they are aggressively searching for the remainder of the amount. Officers claim that they discovered leads and expect capturing the scammers shortly. Police also emphasized that this instance brings attention to a developing problem that fraudsters are increasingly targeting elderly people.

Senior officers claim that because older persons may not be entirely used to digital technologies and frequently believe callers posing as representatives of banks, government agencies, or law enforcement, they are more susceptible. Elderly people are more prone to react to such calls out of fear or confusion because many of them live alone. Scammers frequently use official-sounding language, threats of legal action, or urgent warnings to trick elders into giving money, according to police officials. Fake calls reporting bank problems, Aadhaar concerns, or legal complaints are typically the first step in these scams, which are meant to create panic.

Calls for increased awareness of digital safety, particularly among senior individuals, have been revived by this occurrence. Police are appealing to families to teach their senior citizens basic digital safety guidelines, have regular conversations with them about internet scams, and remind them to double-check any odd calls or messages.

As the number of cases of digital fraud increases, being vigilant and keeping channels of communication open can help shield vulnerable people from being victims of these schemes. By keeping in touch with seniors and offering support when they receive strange digital requests, families can play a significant role. The chance of falling for such scams can be considerably decreased by developing the practice of double-checking each call or message.

Information referenced in this article is from Times of India