In a disturbing incident of online fraud, a 26-year-old woman from Borivali East, Mumbai, was coerced into stripping during a video call and scammed out of Rs 1.7 lakh by fraudsters who claimed her name had surfaced in a money laundering investigation. The woman, who works for a pharmaceutical company, lodged a complaint with the police on November 28 after realizing she had fallen victim to a well-orchestrated scam.
According to the police, the woman received a call on November 19 from individuals who introduced themselves as officers from the Delhi Police. They informed her that her name had appeared during an investigation into a money laundering case tied to Naresh Goyal, the jailed founder of Jet Airways. The scammers threatened her with arrest, further intensifying the situation by shifting the conversation to a video call.
During the call, the fraudsters informed her that she was under ‘digital arrest’ and instructed her to book a hotel room for continued interrogation. Once she checked into a hotel, the scammers demanded that she transfer Rs 1.78 lakh to verify her bank account details. They also made an unsettling request for her to undress during the video call for what they claimed was a ‘body verification’ process. Trusting the scammers, the woman complied with their demands and transferred the money.
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It wasn’t until later that the woman realized she had been deceived and promptly reported the incident to the police. Authorities have since filed a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. Investigations are underway to track down the perpetrators.
This case follows a similar scam earlier this year, where fraudsters used Naresh Goyal’s name to dupe Shri Paul Oswal, the chairman of Vardhman Group, out of Rs 7 crore. In both instances, the victims were told they were under ‘digital arrest,’ a fraudulent tactic that has gained traction among scammers.
Police officials have issued warnings about the growing trend of ‘digital arrest’ scams. In these schemes, fraudsters convince victims that they are under virtual surveillance and must stay connected to the scammers through video or audio calls, under the threat of arrest. Despite multiple advisories from law enforcement, the rise of such scams highlights the need for greater awareness, especially among senior citizens and younger adults who may not be as familiar with such online fraud tactics.
