Noida Doctor Falls Prey to 'Digital House Arrest' Scam, Loses Rs 60 Lakh

A 40-year-old doctor in Noida fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam, losing nearly Rs 60 lakh over two days. The fraudsters, posing as TRAI officials, coerced her into transferring the money by threatening her with a fabricated arrest warrant. An FIR has been lodged, and police are investigating.

A 40-year-old Noida doctor fell victim to an elaborate cyber fraud, losing approximately Rs 60 lakh over two days while being held under 'digital house arrest' by scammers, officials reported Thursday.

The criminals posed as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), convincing her to transfer the money under the threat of a fabricated arrest warrant.

Digital house arrest is a method where cybercriminals confine victims to their homes to execute scams. The offenders often use AI-generated voices or video technology to pose as law enforcement officers, instilling fear through audio or video calls.

Police identified the complainant as Dr. Pooja Goel, a resident of Sector 77, Noida, who received a call on July 13 from individuals claiming to be TRAI officials. They accused her of purchasing illegal obscene videos using a phone number registered in her name and threatened her with an arrest warrant unless she transferred all her funds.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Vivek Ranjan Rai disclosed that the scammers connected her to a fake 'Tilak Nagar Police Station, Mumbai,' where she was falsely informed of an FIR and arrest warrant linked to the circulation of illegal pornographic videos. The scammers also implicated her in a money laundering investigation.

During a video call, the fraudsters issued various threats, placing her under 'digital arrest' and menacing her with potential harm to her family, including the abduction of her daughter, Rai explained.

Consequently, the doctor transferred Rs 59,54,000 from her bank account to the fraudsters' accounts between July 15 and July 16. In her police report, Goel expressed concern over the misuse of her Aadhaar card details and photographs and urged immediate police action.

An FIR was filed at the Cyber Crime police station in Sector 36, Noida. The unidentified suspects face charges under sections 308 (2) [extortion], 319 (2) [impersonation], 318 (4) [cheating] of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita and relevant IT Act provisions.

Earlier this month, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Cyber Crime Police issued an advisory to raise public awareness about the growing threat of cybercrime, highlighting common scams and offering precautions to avoid falling victim. The advisory specifically warned of scams involving calls from unknown or international numbers on mobile phones or WhatsApp, where the caller impersonates officials from various departments and claims that the recipient's documents were found in suspicious packages.

Police have urged citizens to report cyber offences immediately by calling 112 or 1930.

(With inputs from agencies.)