LUCKNOW: A detailed investigative narrative has highlighted a growing cybercrime trend in India known as “digital arrest”, in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials to psychologically coerce victims into transferring large sums of money through prolonged phone and video call scams, reported Bloomberg.
The Bloomberg won Pulitzer Prize for publishing a special graphic report on the “digital arrest” of Indian citizens in December 2025. The story centres on a neurologist from Lucknow, identified as Ruchika Tandon, who was allegedly targeted in an elaborate multi-day scam that combined fear, authority impersonation and digital surveillance tactics to extract nearly 25 million rupees (approximately $300,000).
According to the account, the victim received a phone call from individuals claiming to represent India’s telecom regulator and later the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging multiple complaints and fabricated money laundering charges. The callers reportedly instructed her to remain on video call under “digital custody”, follow strict surveillance conditions, and comply with repeated financial demands. The scammers allegedly escalated pressure by imposing artificial legal proceedings, including a “virtual court hearing”, fabricated judicial questioning, and staged directives to transfer funds into so-called “supervision accounts”. Over several days, the victim is said to have been coerced into multiple bank transfers, under continuous monitoring via phone.
The narrative describes how the victim was isolated from family interactions, instructed to maintain secrecy and subjected to constant instructions through messaging and calls. In one instance, she was reportedly directed to withdraw money across multiple banks, while being told her assets would be returned after verification. The scam ended only when the victim exhausted her accessible funds, after which communication from the fraudsters ceased. She later discovered through online searches that she had been targeted in a “digital custody scam”, part of a broader wave of cyber fraud cases reported across India.
The Indian authorities and cybersecurity experts have warned that such scams rely heavily on impersonation of police or government agencies, psychological intimidation, and rapid escalation tactics to prevent victims from verifying claims. The phenomenon has been linked to wider concerns over data exposure following India’s rapid digitisation, including the widespread use of Aadhaar-linked systems. Reports indicate that scam kits and victim databases are being circulated online, enabling organised fraud networks to target professionals and private individuals.
The Indian government has acknowledged the rise in such cases, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also warned citizens about “digital arrest” scams in a public address, describing them as psychological frauds where victims are pressured into immediate compliance through fear and authority impersonation. Cybercrime experts say the trend reflects an evolving form of financial fraud that blends social engineering, identity theft and digital coercion, urging stronger awareness, verification mechanisms and reporting systems to counter such crimes.
