What is the digital arrest scam?
Every day, we learn about new ways that bad people try to cheat others. One method is the digital arrest scam. Bad guys pretend to be law enforcement officials and tell people their bank account or phone number or Aadhaar card was used for illegal things.
They scare people by saying they will be arrested. Then the fake police ask for money to help out the people in this fake case. Sadly, many people in India have lost money because of these lies.
How does this scam work?
Scammers use phone or video calls to scare others. They make up lies and use scary words so people think they'll go to jail. Then they ask for money to avoid getting arrested. They tell victims not to tell anyone or leave their homes for a few days.
The police say that victims get a call from a fake lower-ranking officer first, then from fake higher-ranking officers. They even use pictures of IPS officers on apps like WhatsApp. Sometimes, they make fake backgrounds to look like a police station in video calls. They do all this to trick people into thinking the scam is real.
Let’s look at how some of these scam calls go.
Example situation - The victim gets a call from someone pretending to be a courier company’s customer support agent. This agent says that an illegal package sent using the victim’s name/ ID/ phone number has been caught by the police. The caller would then transfer the call to a fake police station where a fake policeman would try to take money from the person in order to help them with the case.
What should be done if someone receives such calls?
Various state police are running campaigns to educate people against this scam. They are saying if a person receives a call like this, they must tell the police and block the number. If a person calls and says they're from the police, one must ask for their official ID, etc.
Asking scammers various questions can help, as they might be unable to answer the questions and cut the call. One must also contact the real authorities to verify the claims. One should also stay calm and not panic. People must also learn about these scams to avoid getting tricked.
