A worrying trend of cybercrime has emerged in Noida, where at least three people—mostly senior citizens—lost nearly Rs 2 crore in a series of “digital arrest” scams reported between February and March.
Police said fraudsters impersonating officials from government agencies such as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Central Bureau of Investigation intimidated victims and forced them to transfer large sums of money under the pretext of investigation.
72-Year-Old Man Cheated of Rs 1.2 Crore
In the first case, a 72-year-old resident of Surajpur, Dilip Kumar Das, was allegedly cheated of Rs 1.2 crore after being placed under a so-called digital arrest from February 6 to February 26.
According to the complaint, the victim received a phone call from someone claiming to be a TRAI official. The caller alleged that Das’s mobile number had been used to circulate obscene videos and that the matter was under investigation by the CBI.
The fraudsters later connected him to a video call where individuals posing as a judge and police officer appeared on screen.
The scammers told him he had to cooperate with the investigation and verify his funds. Over several transactions, Das transferred ₹1.2 crore to multiple bank accounts provided by the suspects.
He realised he had been cheated only after receiving a fake “No Dues Certificate” and failing to recover his money.
Another Victim Loses Rs 76 Lakh in Similar Scam
In a second incident in Greater Noida Sector 1, a 75-year-old man, Ramnath Singh, lost nearly Rs 76 lakh.
Fraudsters contacted him through a WhatsApp video call, claiming to be from the CBI. They alleged that his Aadhaar card was linked to a bank account involved in cheating 247 people of ₹38 crore.
The scammers placed him under digital arrest and forced him to transfer money for verification between February 26 and March 3.
Woman Duped of Rs 8.5 Lakh
In another case, a 50-year-old woman from Sector 34, Noida, was cheated of Rs 8.5 lakh.
She received a call claiming that a money laundering case had been registered against her in Jammu and Kashmir.
The caller told her that authorities needed to verify the money in her bank account and asked her to transfer funds to specified accounts temporarily.
After sending the money, she realised she had been cheated when the fraudsters stopped responding.
Police Register Cases, Investigation Underway
Police said cases have been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act 2000.
Vijay Rana, station house officer of the Cybercrime Branch, said multiple investigation teams have been formed to track the accused and trace the money trail.
Police Advisory: Beware of “Digital Arrest” Scams
Authorities have warned citizens to remain cautious about suspicious calls from individuals claiming to be from police, CBI, courts, or telecom authorities.
Officials emphasised that no law enforcement agency conducts investigations through video calls or asks people to transfer money for verification.
Victims of cyber fraud should immediately:
Call the National Cybercrime Helpline – 1930
File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in
