Hyderabad Man Loses 7 Crores To Digital Arrest. Was Named In Fake Drugs Case

In a terrifying display of how ruthless and sophisticated cybercriminals have become, an 81-year-old man from Hyderabad, recently lost nearly Rs 7 crore in a meticulously orchestrated "digital arrest" scam. The ordeal, which spanned over two months, highlights the extreme psychological pressure used by fraudsters to isolate and exploit vulnerable senior citizens.

The fraud started on October 27, when the victim received a WhatsApp call from an individual who claimed to be a representative of a courier company. The caller alleged that a parcel booked in the victim's name, travelling from Mumbai to Thailand's Bangkok, had been intercepted and found to contain narcotics, passports, and a laptop.

When the 81-year-old man denied any involvement, the scammers escalated their tactics. He was quickly "transferred" to another individual impersonating a high-ranking officer from the Mumbai Police. This second fraudster levelled grave accusations, including drug trafficking, money laundering and terror-related activities.

READ: Elderly Woman Duped Of Rs 1.16 Crore In 'Digital Arrest' Scam In Delhi: Cops

To instill fear, the scammers declared that the victim was under "digital arrest". Under the guise of a "financial verification" process, the they systematically drained the victim's life savings. He was first forced to transfer Rs 19.80 lakh to "verify" his transactions.

On October 29, the fraudsters persuaded him to download the Signal app, which they used to maintain constant pressure and monitor his movements.

Using the app to intimidate him over several days, they coerced him into liquidating his mutual funds and fixed deposits, resulting in a staggering transfer of Rs 7.12 crore.

The victim was assured that the entire amount would be returned once the "investigation" was completed.

The true ruthlessness of the scammers became apparent when they restablished contact with the victim on December 29, demanding an additional Rs 1.2 crore to "close the case".

It was this final, brazen demand that finally raised the 81-year-old man's suspicion, leading him to discover similar "digital arrest" scams reported in newspapers.

This case is part of a disturbing trend. While overall cybercrime cases in the tri-commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda, reportedly dropped from 20,574 in 2024 to 15,105 in 2025, the financial impact remains severe. In 2024 alone, victims in Telangana lost a total of Rs 1,866 crore to cybercrime.

READ: Elderly Jabalpur Couple Placed Under "Digital Arrest" For 4 Days, Rescued By Cops

Digital arrest scams are particularly dangerous because they rely on psychological terror. In a separate tragic incident in Hyderabad, a 76-year-old retired doctor suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after being extorted for Rs 6.5 lakh by fraudsters who practiced similar tactics as the previous case.

The Telangana Police and the state's Cyber Security Bureau have emphasised that "Digital Arrest" does not exist. No legal or law enforcement agency in India has the authority to arrest anyone via a video call. They pointed out that genuine agencies would never ask for money transfers, security deposits, or UPI payments to "clear" a criminal case.

If you suspect a scam, immediately call the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or visit the National Cyber Crime Portal.