Fake cops, warrants, Rs 10 lakh surety: India Today busts digital arrest racket

India Today’s special investigation team conducted a sting operation to uncover a racket of digital arrest scammers.  The fraudsters came in touch with our reporter, claiming that a parcel in his name was found with 400 grams of drugs.

Fake cops called India Today reporter and placed him under digital arrest for 30 hours.

Cases of digital arrest scams have seen a significant surge in the country over the last few months, with fraudsters targetting high-profile professionals, bureaucrats, judges, businessman and even Army officials. The scam sees fraudsters posing as government officials, primarily from law enforcement agencies. They initiate contact with victims via phone calls and subsequently shift to video calls using platforms like WhatsApp and Skype.

In his recent “Mann ki Baat” radio broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too cautioned people against such frauds, noting that it has hit all sections of society, as he requested people to adopt the mantra of “stop, think and take action” when faced with such a scam. He also said that there is nothing called “digital arrest” in law.

Recently, Richa Mishra, a Senior Assistant Editor at AajTak.in, a sister site of India Today, fell prey to the digital arrest scam. The journalist received a call from a courier company, which falsely claimed that her Aadhaar number was associated with a parcel containing drugs. This initiated a harrowing experience that left Richa feeling as though she was being held digitally hostage by the scammers for several hours.

INDIA TODAY STING OPERATION

In view of the surge in cases of digital arrest, India Today’s special investigation team conducted a sting operation to uncover the disturbing trend.

The investigation began when a courier company contacted an India Today reporter, claiming that a parcel in his name was stuck in Mumbai. The caller, representing DHL, identified a parcel sent from Mumbai to Beijing on October 14, 2024, that had failed to reach its destination.

The reporter was told that his identity, including his name, identity proof, and phone number, had been used to send the package without his knowledge. Alarmingly, the DHL representative informed him that the Mumbai Customs Department had seized the parcel.

The fake DHL caller proceeded to disclose the package’s contents: five credit cards, seven passports, 3.5 kilograms of clothing, and a staggering 400 grams of MDMA, an illegal substance strictly prohibited in India.

Later in the conversation, the caller told the reporter that a complaint needed to be filed, leading to a subsequent connection with a purported Mumbai police officer via WhatsApp.

On the call, the fake officer interrogated the reporter about the parcel, expressing concerns over the implications of drug smuggling. “If even 10 grams is found, you will be sentenced to 3–7 years and your parcel has 400 grams of the substance,” the fake cop said, threatening the reporter with dire consequences.

The reporter, bewildered and anxious, insisted he had no connection to the package. Yet, the fake officer said that the situation could worsen if a dead body linked to the parcel was discovered. “What if a weapon or a dead body is found on your name in the next one hour? Will you still sit in your office like this? Will it not become a big problem for you?” the fake cop said in an intimidating tone.

The officer’s intimidation tactics reached new heights when he insisted on recording a video statement and demanded sensitive personal information, including Aadhaar details.

Claiming to be an IPS officer with 27 years of experience, the fake cop then accused the reporter of being embroiled in a money laundering case linked to a businessman under investigation for fraud of over Rs 536 crores. The officer alleged that a Canara Bank account in the reporter’s name was connected to this illicit activity, further entangling him in a web of deception.

Throughout the conversation, the reporter was shown fake documents, all presented as national secrets. The fake officer also instructed him to remain silent about the case and refrain from discussing it with anyone else.

As the conversation progressed, the impostor demanded that the reporter undergo a “purity test” and introduced another alleged officer who presented an Enforcement Directorate (ED) warrant — complete with the reporter’s picture.

Then came the real business and the second fake officer presented the warrants which demanded a guarantee of Rs 10 lakh to the Government of India and the Supreme Court of India to avoid being implicated further.

The investigation culminated in a shocking exchange with a supposed female ED officer, who provided bank account details for the illicit transaction on the reporter’s WhatsApp.

WHAT IS DIGITAL ARREST SCAM?

In digital arrest scams, usually, the scammers impersonate police officers or customs officials. Once the call shifts to video, victims are often shown a setup resembling a police station, designed to convince them that they are speaking with legitimate law enforcement personnel.

The victim is alleged to have engaged in illegal activities, a claim that the scammers use to falsely assert that the individual has been arrested. They also present fabricated documents to support their claims of a digital arrest.