Two arrested for ‘digital arrest’ scam targeting elderly man in Thrissur
The fraudsters, impersonating Mumbai police officers, coerced the victim into transferring a significant sum to avoid a fabricated money laundering charge.
The fraudsters, impersonating Mumbai police officers, coerced the victim into transferring a significant sum to avoid a fabricated money laundering charge.
The fraudsters, impersonating Mumbai police officers, coerced the victim into transferring a significant sum to avoid a fabricated money laundering charge.
Mathilakam: Two youngsters from Kozhikode were arrested for scamming an elderly man by impersonating police officers from Mumbai in a ‘digital arrest’ via WhatsApp video call. The accused— Arjun (24) of Kunnoth House and Shidin (23) of Chempakath House, both from Balussery—were arrested by Mathilakam Police.
The police arrested the duo from Balussery.
The incident took place on the morning of July 15. The accused contacted the elderly victim, a native of Koolimuttam in Thrissur district, via WhatsApp video call, claiming they were from Mumbai’s Sahar Police Station. They falsely informed the man that a criminal case for money laundering had been filed against him and that he was required to appear in a Mumbai court with his wife. If the elderly man failed to appear before the court, he would be arrested from his home, they warned.
When the man said he could not travel to Mumbai, the fraudsters insisted that he and his wife stay on the video call and informed them that they were under virtual arrest. They then convinced the couple that all their bank accounts would be frozen unless they transferred funds to a "judge’s account" to avoid arrest.
Believing the elaborate ruse, the elderly couple arranged ₹10,18,602 from a joint fixed deposit account, ₹2,25,334 from their personal savings account, ₹5,72,000 by pawning 100 grams of the wife’s gold jewelry. They transferred a total of ₹18,15,936.