Berhampur Univ VC Loses ₹14L in Digital Arrest Scam

In February, Geetanjali Dash, the Vice-Chancellor of Berhampur University, was defrauded of Rs 14 Lakh by someone impersonating an Enforcement Directorate (ED) official. Please note that on February 12, the scammer placed Dash under a fake “digital arrest” suggesting that she was a part of an ED case involving “crores” of money placed into a bank account under her name.  

A fake ED officer claiming to have placed her ‘digitally under arrest’ requested a payment of 14 lakh for her release. She fell for the scam and sent the amount to the specified bank account.  

According to SP (Berhampur) Saravan Vivek, after being scammed, she lodged a complaint and a FIR was registered at the cyber police station on February 24. The Investigating Officer is currently actively working on the case, and from the statement of SP, it appears that the culprits will be caught shortly.

Berhampur University’s vice-chancellor claimed that the caller spoke in English and even mentioned details about her family. She received the notification from a caller that there was a case against her and to transfer all of her money for an audit. The fraudsters float Rs. 80,000 for initial trust and then promise to refund the remainder in parts. But when the caller became unresponsive, she understood it was a fraud case and lodged an FIR.  

What is the notion of a digital arrest scam?  

Digital arrest scam is the modus operandi of cyber criminals using technology. Threats are posed in the form of a loan provided by them. They impersonate legal authorities like the ED, police, CBI, or Interpol to falsely accuse victims and charge them for crimes like money laundering, drug trafficking, or illegal financial dealings. The scammers blackmail their victims into payment by claiming they can clear their name. They also threaten immediate arrest, suspension of bank accounts, or other legal affairs.  

Working of the Digital Arrest Scam.  

The victims of these scams receive calls, emails, or WhatsApp messages from the scammers disguised as officials in charge of the police, cybercrime, or the national tax office.

The scammers assert that the victim's name or Aadhaar/PAN Details are associated with some criminal case, usually some form of money laundering or drug-related offenses. Some scammers go so far as to make video calls wearing fake police uniforms or send forged arrest warrants as an additional claim. 

They intimidate victims with threats of arrest, freezing of bank accounts, or filing cases in court if they refuse to comply with requests. Victims are instructed to pay using these digital means, be it UPI, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, to settle the so-called problems. 

But keep in mind that no legitimate agency in their right mind would ever openly ask for payment in the form of cryptocurrency or UPI, while real officers are not the ones who strangle you with pressure to turn a blind eye to the matters. Scammers can spoof caller Ids for official looking calls or even deep fake themselves to video calls to appear real.