SC flags rise in digital arrest scams

• The Supreme Court sought responses of the Centre and the CBI on rising incidents of online frauds in the country, especially digital arrests to dupe citizens by fabricating judicial orders.

• The apex court took cognisance of a case of digital arrest of a senior citizen couple in Haryana’s Ambala on the basis of forged orders of the court and probe agencies by fraudsters to extort Rs 1.05 crore.

• The case registered as suo motu after the 73-year-old woman wrote to Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on September 21 informing about the incident of defrauding them using court orders.

• The SC bench said forging apex court, high court orders, signatures of judges to digitally arrest innocent people, including senior citizens, strikes at the bottom of trust and faith of people in judicial institutions.

• The woman said the court orders were shown through multiple audio and video calls by people impersonating as CBI, ED and judicial officers to arrest them. 

What is ‘digital arrest’?

• “Digital arrest” has become a major concern nowadays. It is a cyber fraud.

• The fraudsters pose as law enforcement agency officials, like CBI or customs officials, and threaten people of arrest by making video calls in the name of fake international parcels of banned drugs.

• Commonly known as the “parcel scam”, the cybercriminals call victims informing about a parcel addressed to them which contains contraband items like illegal goods, drugs, or fake passports, among others.

• In other cases, cyber fraudsters call to convey that a near or dear one of the victim has been found to be involved in a crime or an accident and is in their custody. A demand for money is made to compromise in the “case”. 

• They deceive the victims by making them believe that their bank account, SIM card, Aadhaar card, or other cards linked to their bank account has been used unlawfully.

• The fraudsters then virtually restrain the victims from moving out of the house and coerce them into paying them money.

• They ask the victims to stay online via Skype and not share this information with anyone even as they kept a watch on her throughout the period.

• The scammer threatens the victim with arrest or legal consequences unless he takes immediate action. They often create a sense of panic to prevent rational thinking.

• Under the guise of “clearing their name”, “assisting with the investigation” or “refundable security deposit/escrow account”, individuals are coerced into transferring large sums of money to specified bank accounts or UPI IDs.

• The fraudsters are known to use studios modelled on police stations and government offices and wear uniforms to appear genuine.

• Cybercriminals are technically sound and know how to convince their targets and drain their hard-earned money. They usually target old people.

• These fraudsters use translation tools for better English to send threatening letters and forge letterheads of police departments. They usually procure Aadhaar cards from other sources.

• Digital arrest scams are reported across the country. A number of victims have lost large amounts of money to such criminals.