Digital arrest scam: Tiruvarur doctor loses Rs 1.19 crore to fake CBI officer
The caller falsely accused him of involvement in crimes like drug and human trafficking and demanded his Aadhaar and PAN details
In a shocking digital arrest scam, an 82-year-old doctor from Muthupet, Tiruvarur district, lost Rs 1.19 crore to cyber fraudsters posing as CBI officers.
Also read: Digital arrest syndicate: CBI arrests 4 after searches at 12 locations
The doctor, Meera Hussain, who runs a hospital on Kaliyamman Kovil Street, received a call from someone claiming to be a CBI officer from Mumbai. The caller falsely accused him of involvement in crimes like drug and human trafficking and demanded his Aadhaar and PAN details.
Imprisonment threat
According to police, the scammer threatened Hussain by saying he was under “digital arrest” and would be jailed if he didn’t pay. He instructed him not to disconnect the call and demanded Rs 2 crore. Under pressure, Hussain transferred Rs 55 lakh to one bank account and Rs 64.20 lakh to another, totalling Rs 1.19 crore.
The accounts belonged to JK Enterprises (IndusInd Bank, Tiruchirapalli) and Green Win Global Enterprises (ICICI Bank, Uthangarai).
The fraudsters called again, asking for more money. Hussain became suspicious and realised he was deceived. He filed a complaint with the Tiruvarur Cyber Crime Police on May 14. The police registered a case (FIR No. 06/2025) and are investigating. They identified the scammers’ WhatsApp numbers (+917068358830 and +917376930602) and have frozen Rs 1.11 crore of the transferred amount.
Digital arrests on rise
Digital arrest scams are on the rise across India. In Hyderabad, a doctor lost Rs 3 crore in January 2025, and another in Noida lost Rs 45 lakh last year to similar frauds.
Sandeep Mittal, ADGP, Cyber Crime Wing, Tamil Nadu, said, “People should be vigilant if they receive such phone calls and should be bold enough to handle it and not panic. Call the helpline 1930 at any time of day or night. It’s the first line of defence in cases where money is lost. It would be prudent to register a complaint with 1930 without any delay in case money is lost, instead of visiting a police station and wasting ‘the golden hours’ to retrieve the lost money.”
How to stay safe
Dos: Verify the caller by contacting the agency’s official number. Report suspicious calls to the Cyber Crime Police or www.cybercrime.gov.in. Inform your bank immediately to freeze your account if scammed.
Also read: Maharashtra: Elderly woman loses Rs 20 crore to 'digital arrest' fraud; 3 arrested
Don’ts: Share personal details like Aadhaar, PAN, or bank information with unknown callers. Believe threats of “digital arrest”. Transfer money out of fear. Engage with callers who don’t provide verifiable details.
