digital arrest scam targeting elderly in India

A 72-year-old retired scientist, Dr. Shukdev Nandi, from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), fell victim to a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, losing ₹1.29 crore in just three days. Fraudsters impersonated CBI and Bengaluru Police officials to execute the scheme.

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Elaborate Scam via WhatsApp Video Call

On June 17, Nandi received a WhatsApp video call displaying the Bengaluru City Police logo. The caller claimed that Nandi’s Aadhaar-linked SIM was involved in human trafficking and financial crimes. He was then connected to a supposed CBI officer, “Dayanayak,” who pressured him into transferring his savings for a supposed audit. Nandi realized he had been scammed on June 26.

digital arrest scam targeting elderly in Indiadigital arrest scam targeting elderly in India

Police Arrest Four Suspects

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) tracked Nandi’s digital deposits and arrested four suspects on July 4 in Lucknow. The accused—Shyam Kumar, Rajneesh Dwivedi, Sudhir Kumar Chaurasia, and Mahendra Pratap Singh (alias Chandan Singh)—used fake CBI credentials and psychological manipulation to extract money. They laundered the funds through cryptocurrency, converting cash into USDT via a handler named Faiz.

Authorities seized mobile phones, ATM cards, and cheque books during the arrests and are still searching for the masterminds, “Ankit” and “Deepak.”