A 61-year-old man in Mangaluru was allegedly cheated of Rs 2 crore by unidentified fraudsters who posed as officials of central agencies and threatened him with arrest in a digital arrest scam.
How the Scam Unfolded
According to the complaint filed at Mangaluru City CEN police station, on March 31, the victim received a call. The caller, speaking in English, introduced himself as an official of the National Data Protection Centre and claimed that the complainant's identity card had been misused by a Mumbai-based accused to purchase a SIM card.
The caller alleged that the SIM was being used to send threatening calls, obscene photos, and videos to people in Mumbai and was also involved in drug trafficking. The fraudster further claimed that 30 to 50 FIRs might have been registered against the complainant at Colaba police station in Mumbai. He told the victim that officials from agencies like the NIA and ED would verify his details to grant clearance.
WhatsApp Calls from Fake Officials
Subsequently, the victim received WhatsApp calls from two numbers. The callers identified themselves as NIA officials, including Sandeep Rao, and later connected him to a supposed senior officer, Mathew, ADGP. The complainant was asked to share his biodata and was then directed to speak to another person claiming to be an ED official, Vilas Rao Patel.
The fraudsters allegedly told the victim that, as per their records, he was a major criminal with multiple cases registered against him and was involved in terrorist activities. By intimidating him, they coerced him into transferring money in phases.
Financial Loss
Between April 7 and 18, the victim allegedly transferred a total of Rs 2,07,04,600 to various bank accounts through RTGS.
Authorities have urged the public to be cautious of such digital arrest scams and to verify the identity of any caller claiming to be from government agencies. The police are investigating the case.
