Two cybercriminals from Gujarat arrested in Hyd for Rs. 1.95 Cr “Digital Arrest” scam

Two cybercriminals from Gujarat have been arrested in Hyderabad in connection with a massive “digital arrest” scam, which led to a local woman losing Rs. 1.95 crore. Police investigations revealed that the fraudsters had transferred the stolen money abroad.

In this type of cybercrime, scammers pose as government officials or law enforcement officers. They contact victims via phone or video calls, falsely claiming that the victim or their family members are involved in serious crimes. Threatening arrest unless immediate payments are made, these fraudsters pressure victims into transferring large sums of money.

In this case, the arrested individuals used multiple “mule” bank accounts to receive the defrauded money and then sent it overseas through hawala networks, reportedly to Dubai. Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Aravind Babu confirmed that the arrested suspects are experienced cybercriminals, and the bank accounts they used were already linked to 22 cyber fraud cases across the country.

The victim filed a complaint on December 13, stating that she had received repeated calls from unknown individuals impersonating government and telecom officials. The scammers threatened her husband with serious criminal charges and claimed he would be arrested immediately. Under this intimidation, she was forced to follow their instructions, including verifying currency serial numbers and transferring funds under the guise of “official clearance processes.”

Trusting their claims, the victim transferred a total of Rs. 1.95 crore from her bank accounts via Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) to the accounts designated by the scammers. Following her complaint, Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police registered a case and launched an investigation. The two arrested individuals have been identified as the third and fourth suspects in the scam.

One of the suspects helped set up the mule bank accounts and managed the incoming money, taking a 15% commission on the deposits. The other operated under instructions from higher-level operatives, managing the accounts and ensuring that the money reached the scammers abroad through hawala channels. Police have also seized two mobile phones connected to the operation.

“Digital arrest” scams have been on the rise recently, with criminals impersonating police, court officials, or government authorities to intimidate victims and extort money. Recognizing the growing threat, the Supreme Court of India, on December 1, directed the CBI to conduct a unified investigation into all digital arrest cases across the country.