Noida, March 21: Fraudsters orchestrated a sophisticated digital arrest scam in Noida, impersonating TRAI and CBI officials to deceive a 78-year-old retired banker into believing he was implicated in a hawala case linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal. The scammers conducted a fake Supreme Court hearing via video call, coercing the victim into transferring INR 3.15 crore to a so-called "supervision account" over 15 days. Fearful of arrest, he remained under their control, keeping the video call on at all times. The elaborate fraud came to light when no refund was issued as promised, prompting him to approach the police.

As reported by the Times of India, the victim, a resident of Gardenia Gateway in Sector 75, received a video call from someone impersonating a TRAI official on February 25, claiming that his mobile number was involved in illegal activities. The caller informed him that a criminal case had been filed against him in Colaba, Mumbai, due to the connection to hawala transactions linked to Naresh Goyal's money laundering case. The fraudsters further manipulated the victim by asking him to appear before the Chief Justice of India via a video call the following day. They promised to handle the case online, which set the stage for a series of deceitful actions over the next few weeks. iPhone Sale Scam Busted in Greater Noida: Gang Cheats People by Offering iPhones Starting at INR 20,000 on Instagram, 2 Arrested As Police Recover Debit Cards, SIM Cards and 40 QR Codes.

On February 26, two men, posing as an IPS officer and a CBI officer, appeared on a video call and allegedly presented an order from the Supreme Court. The forged document claimed that the victim's bank account and fixed deposits were to be frozen and transferred to a "supervision account" as part of the ongoing investigation. Under constant fear of arrest and with no support system, the elderly man, who lived with his wife, transferred INR 3.15 crore to the fraudsters' accounts. He remained under the false impression of being under "digital arrest" throughout the period, unable to discuss the situation with anyone due to threats of national security involvement. Digital Arrest Scam in Noida: Woman Kept Under ‘Digital Arrest’ for 5 Hours by Cyber Criminals, Duped of INR 1.40 Lakh in Uttar Pradesh.

The fraudsters continued to manipulate the victim with false assurances, even presenting a fabricated Supreme Court order on March 3 stating that the funds were cleared of any wrongdoing. By this time, all his money had been transferred to the fraudster's account. The victim, realising he had been scammed, eventually filed a police report. Based on his complaint, the police have initiated an investigation, including charges of extortion, cheating by impersonation, and relevant sections of the IT Act. Authorities are now working to trace the money trail and identify the culprits involved in the scam.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 21, 2025 03:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).