Bhubaneswar couple ‘digitally arrested’ for 35 hours, Rs 1 crore cyber fraud attempt foiled

In a shocking case of cyber fraud in Bhubaneswar, a retired senior officer of NALCO and his wife, a retired lecturer, were kept under ‘digital arrest’ for nearly 35 hours by cyber criminals who attempted to extort Rs 1 crore from them. The incident has been reported from the Nayapalli area of the city.

According to the complaint lodged by the couple, they received a call from an unknown number, with the caller posing as a police official. The fraudster allegedly claimed that terrorists were misusing their Aadhaar cards and that they were under investigation for terror links. 

Threat Of Terror Links

The caller further threatened them with immediate arrest and instructed them not to step out of their home without permission.

Also Read: Bhubaneswar woman duped of Rs 30 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam; Andhra Pradesh man held

Terrified by the serious allegations, the elderly couple complied with the instructions and remained confined inside their house for nearly one and a half days. The fraudster reportedly demanded Rs 1 crore to ‘settle’ the matter and avoid legal action.

Approach Cyber Police

However, the situation took a turn when the couple went to the bank to transfer the demanded amount. They were informed that the account provided by the fraudster was inactive. Sensing something amiss, they conducted further inquiries and realized they were targets of a cyber scam.

The couple immediately approached the cyber police, thereby preventing a major financial loss. Authorities have urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain alert against such ‘digital arrest’ scams and verify any claims made over phone calls before taking action.

"I always advised people, but I'm stunned that I could not figure it out when it actually happened with me. This happened on Feb 9. I received a call from a man who identified himself as a 'Patna-based' police officer. He claimed that a terrorist, Qarim Khan, used my Aadhaar card for fraudulent activities. After hearing him, I handed over the phone to my husband. Later, they threatened that an arrest warrant had been issued for us and that we would be arrested soon. They were in a police outfit and again threatened that we had an account in the Jammu & Kashmir HDFC bank. So, we were frightened and accepted their demands of Rs 1 crore," revealed the victim woman.