Story perspectives

Rising 'Digital Arrest' Scams Cost Victims Millions in India

9/8/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A new cybercrime called "digital arrest" is rising in India, where scammers impersonate police to extort money.
Meherlina Dutt lost INR5.85 crore (US$663,000) in five days due to threats from these fraudsters.
Banks like HDFC and ICICI failed to detect suspicious transactions, raising concerns about their fraud prevention measures.
Victims report losing millions, prompting scrutiny of banks' security protocols and customer liability issues.
Investigations uncover networks of mule accounts used for laundering, often without account holders' knowledge.

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Story summary

A new cybercrime called "digital arrest" is rising in India, where scammers impersonate police to extort money.
Meherlina Dutt lost INR5.85 crore (US$663,000) in five days due to threats from these fraudsters.
Banks like HDFC and ICICI failed to detect suspicious transactions, raising concerns about their fraud prevention measures.
Victims report losing millions, prompting scrutiny of banks' security protocols and customer liability issues.
Investigations uncover networks of mule accounts used for laundering, often without account holders' knowledge.