Mumbai, March 20: An 86-year-old woman in the city was defrauded of INR 20.25 crore in a digital arrest scam after fraudsters posing as police officials convinced her that her Aadhaar card was being misused for illegal activities. The scammers threatened her with legal action, including involving her family, and coerced her into transferring large sums of money over a period of three months.

According to a report published by the Indian Express, the scam began with a call in late December 2024. The fraudster, pretending to be a police officer, informed the woman that her Aadhaar card was being used to open a bank account involved in money laundering. Digital Arrest Scam in Pune: Elderly Woman Loses INR 2.57 Crore As Fraudsters Pose As Nashik Police Keep Her Under ‘Digital Arrest’ for a Week in Erandwane; Case Registered.

Elderly Woman Duped of INR 20 Crore in Digital Arrest Scam

The caller then escalated the situation, claiming that her name and her family’s were implicated in criminal activities. To avoid legal action, the victim was pressured to transfer money to various bank accounts.

Woman Kept in 'Digital Arrest' for Nearly 3 Months

For nearly three months, from December 26, 2024, to March 3, 2025, the victim was instructed to remain under "digital arrest," isolating her from seeking help. During this period, the scammers manipulated her into sending money through multiple transactions, amounting to INR 20.25 crore. Digital Arrest Scam in Pune: Anesthesiologist Loses INR 70 Lakh After Fraudsters Posing As ‘Delhi CID’ Officers Link Her To Fake International Organ Trafficking Racket in Maharashtra, Case Registered.

The scam was discovered when the victim realised it and reported it to the police. Authorities immediately launched an investigation, tracking the transactions and detaining the perpetrators. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to uncover the full scope of the scam.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2025 02:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).