A case of cyber fraud has come to light in Kanpur, where a woman was allegedly duped of Rs 3,40,260 after being threatened with 'digital arrest' and forced to transfer money to a bank account in Kota, Rajasthan. The FIR was registered at Sisamau police station on Thursday, months after the incident occurred.
Details of the Complaint
According to the complaint filed by the victim, Rita Sharma, a resident of P Road in Premnagar, she received a phone call on January 14. The caller threatened her and placed her under 'digital arrest', coercing her to make multiple transactions to a specified bank account. Believing the threat to be genuine, she transferred the total amount of Rs 3,40,260.
After realizing she had been cheated, Sharma approached the Cyber Cell in Swaroopnagar and also met DCP (Central) Atul Kumar Srivastava. However, the case was not registered immediately. It was finally lodged on June 11 at Sisamau police station.
Police Action
Sisamau station in-charge Rakesh Singh confirmed that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. He stated that further investigation is underway and efforts are being made to trace the fraudsters and recover the amount.
Modus Operandi
Cyber fraudsters often use the tactic of 'digital arrest' to intimidate victims. They pose as law enforcement officials and claim that the victim's Aadhaar, bank account, or phone number has been used in illegal activities. Under the threat of immediate arrest, they demand money to 'settle' the matter. Authorities advise citizens to remain vigilant and not to fall prey to such calls.
Citizens are urged to report any suspicious calls to the cyber crime helpline at 1930 or visit the nearest police station. The Kanpur police have launched awareness campaigns to educate the public about such scams.
