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India’s ‘Digital Arrest’ Fraud Spree Expands as Police Probe International Links and Make Mumbai Bust

Police say syndicates route coerced transfers through mule accounts into cryptocurrency after impersonating officials on video calls.

Overview

  • Maharashtra Cyber, probing a ₹58 crore case, reported cross‑border links to Hong Kong, China and Indonesia, with funds moved through multiple crypto wallets.
  • Mumbai Police arrested five men after raiding a fake international call centre in Mulund that impersonated loan officials to defraud people in the US and Canada.
  • In Pune, a 62‑year‑old retired LIC officer lost about ₹99 lakh after scammers sent a fabricated arrest warrant bearing a forged signature of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
  • In Mumbai, a 60‑year‑old businessman was kept on an overnight video call, shown forged notices including a Supreme Court document, and coerced into transferring ₹53 lakh before contacting helpline 1930.
  • Investigations across multiple FIRs point to layered mule networks and crypto conversions, with officials estimating such scams may have siphoned more than ₹2,000 crore nationwide.