An assistant professor of Jodhpur IIT Dr Amrita Puri was duped of Rs 12 lakh after she was ‘digitally arrested' by the cyber thugs for 12 days in Jodhpur city.
According to complaint filed by the professor, the fraudsters posed as officers of Crime Branch Mumbai and told the victim that she was a suspect in a money laundering case.
They told her over phone that one of her parcels has been intercepted by them. The parcel contained drugs, passport and credit card. She needed to be under surveillance otherwise she will get arrested.
Fraudsters brainwashed the professor
Fraudsters kept her under pressure and gradually brainwashed her. They took control over all her communication devices. Then they instructed her to transfer money in their account. After transferring the money, the professor got back into senses and registered an FIR with Karwar police station in Jodhpur.
Fraudsters threatened to frame her in money laundering case
According to the police, the incident happened with Dr Amrita Puri who lives in IIT campus Jodhpur. Her husband Nitesh Anirao is a resident of Patiala in Punjab.
Amrita Puri told Police that she had received several calls from different numbers in August 1. When she received the call, the caller identified himself as a policeman officer. He told her that they had received a parcel in her name which contained MD drugs. credit card and passport. The police officer advised her to register a complaint about it with Cyber Crime branch Mumbai. Later the fraudster transferre the call to the so called Cyber branch.
The call was received by another person who identified himself as DCP of Cyber Crime branch. He threatened her that she was caught in a money laundering case. She will have to cooperate with Police, otherwise she will be arrested. The victim got scared and kept following the instructions of the fraudsters.
Took control of mobile, kept the camera on
According to police, fraudsters told her that she will continuously with under surveillance. Then fraudsters took control over her mobile. They then asked her to keep the camera on and told her to share the screen. Her laptop was also kept under control through Skype App. The professor was not able to contact anyone and she was continuously under surveillance.
Access was removed after transferring the amount
Fraudsters after keeping her under arrest for 10 days asked her to undergo financial verification. After that fraudsters sought detail of all her accounts and funds. The fraudsters then transferred Rs 11.97 lakh from her account in Yes Bank through RTGS and following that removed all the access to her devices.
Dr Amrita Puri then realised that she was duped. The professor then registered case with Cyber Crime police station in Jodhpur.
What is Digital Arrest?
A “Digital Arrest” is a deceptive tactic used by cybercriminals to exploit individuals under the guise of law enforcement or investigative agencies. Typically, it involves fraudsters contacting potential victims through phone calls or digital means, falsely claiming that there is a warrant for their arrest or that they are under investigation. They often demand sensitive information, such as personal or financial details, said the police.
What should one do?
If you receive calls claiming an arrest of someone close to you, verify this by visiting your local police station. Before acting on such calls, it is crucial to inform family members and the local police. In cases where you recognize the voice of a loved one during such calls, verify their whereabouts directly. Do not hastily transfer funds or provide any payment
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
