Ahmedabad Man Settled in Australia Loses Rs 49 Lakh in Sophisticated Digital Arrest Scam
A 44-year-old man originally from Ahmedabad, who has been settled in Australia for the past two decades, has become the latest victim of an elaborate "digital arrest" scam. Fraudsters managed to siphon off nearly Rs 49 lakh from his bank accounts in both India and Australia through a meticulously planned cyber deception.
Complaint Filed by Elderly Father in Ahmedabad
A formal complaint in this distressing case was filed on Tuesday with the city's cybercrime police by the victim's 74-year-old father, Madan Patel, a resident of Naranpura in Ahmedabad. According to the detailed complaint, Patel's younger son, Pavan Patel (44), who works and lives in Sydney, Australia, was targeted by cyber criminals impersonating high-ranking officials from multiple Indian authorities.
The Elaborate Scam Unfolds
The terrifying ordeal began on August 26, 2025, when Pavan received a phone call from an Australian number. The caller, identifying herself as "Shruti Agarwal" from the Indian High Commission in Canberra, falsely claimed that an arrest warrant had been issued against him in Mumbai. She alleged his involvement in serious crimes including money laundering and illegal cryptocurrency transactions.
Shortly after this initial contact, Pavan was connected via WhatsApp video calls to individuals posing as officers from the Mumbai Crime Branch. These imposters informed him that multiple SIM cards had been fraudulently obtained in his name and used for conducting illegal financial transactions.
Digital Arrest and Psychological Manipulation
The fraudsters then issued severe threats of immediate arrest, warning Pavan not to disconnect the calls under any circumstances. They placed him under what they termed a "digital arrest", directing him to remain on camera continuously and strictly prohibiting him from communicating with family members or friends.
Over the subsequent days, the scammers systematically escalated their psychological pressure. They falsely claimed that the investigation had been transferred to more serious agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Financial Exploitation and Fund Transfers
Under this sustained coercion, the fraudsters persuaded Pavan to:
- Share his laptop and mobile IP addresses
- Acquire new phone connections
- Join WhatsApp groups named after police headquarters
- Open multiple cryptocurrency wallets
They then instructed him to transfer substantial funds to these wallets for purported "verification purposes". Believing their claims to be legitimate, Pavan transferred 25,000 Australian dollars (approximately Rs 14.6 lakh) from his Australian bank accounts. Additionally, about Rs 34 lakh was siphoned from his account in a bank located in Naranpura, Ahmedabad.
Realization and Official Complaints
The promised verification and refund never materialized. Finally recognizing the fraudulent nature of the entire scheme, Pavan lodged a formal complaint with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, which issued an official complaint number for his case.
Simultaneously in India, his elderly father approached the cybercrime helpline and subsequently filed a detailed complaint with the Ahmedabad City Cybercrime Police, initiating a cross-border investigation into this sophisticated financial fraud.
This case highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber criminals who exploit international jurisdictions and impersonate legitimate authorities to execute elaborate financial scams targeting non-resident Indians and their families back home.
