 "No such concept as 'digital arrest' in law: Agencies warn senior citizens")
As thousands of online fraud cases are reported every year, awareness campaigns are warning people about digital arrest scams. The term has no legal meaning but thousands have been coerced into transferring money after being threatened with concocted legal action.
The Mumbai Police are running an awareness campaign in housing societies, warning senior citizens about the fraud. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is sending SMS alerts that say “Threatened with Digital Arrest? There is nothing like Digital Arrest in law… Call 1930 for help.” HDFC Bank has launched a campaign called Vigil Aunty to “promote freedom from fraud”.
Cases and losses rising sharply
As many as 2.268 million cases of cyber fraud were reported in 2024, up more than 120 per cent 1.029 million in 2022. The data comes from the Home Ministry’s reply to Rajya Sabha citing National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’s numbers.
Losses from cybercrimes, which include other incidents besides fraud, increased more than $21$-fold, rising from Rs 91.14 crore to Rs 1,935.51 crore.
In just the first two months of 2025, the authorities registered 17,718 cybercrime cases involving losses of Rs 210.21 crore.
From 2022 to February 2025, the portal recorded 241,000 incidents and losses worth Rs 2,575.89 crore.
What to know about digital arrest
Fraudsters typically start with an audio or video call, posing as officials of the police, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate or the RBI. Victims, often senior citizens, are told their name is linked to a crime or a suspicious parcel. Multiple impostors may join the call, flashing fake documents or fabricated legal orders.
They instruct the victim to keep their phone camera switched on, claiming to place them under “digital custody”, and pressure them to transfer money to so-called “safe” accounts.
But a statement by the Home Ministry in March made it clear that arrests require physical custody under the Code of Criminal Procedure. Digital arrest does not exist.
Government response on Digital Arrest
According to the Ministry, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has taken down these digital accounts for their links to fraud:
- 3,962 Skype IDs
- 83,668 WhatsApp accounts
- 781,000 SIM cards
- 2,08,000 IMEIs
Financial safeguards are improving too. Through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System, authorities have saved Rs 4,386 crore across 13.36 lakh complaints, including digital-arrest-linked cases.
What you should do when Digital Scam Happend
- Disconnect if you receive such a call.
- Do not share personal or banking details.
- Do not keep the camera on for unknown callers.
- Report immediately on 1930 or the cybercrime.gov.in portal.
With police forces, the RBI and the MHA intensifying awareness campaigns, officials hope more citizens, especially seniors, will learn to recognise the red flags before panic sets in.