How a Lucknow professor lost Rs 2.81 crore to 7-day-long ‘digital arrest’, and what Police has to say – Times of India

A shocking case of cyber fraud has come to light in Lucknow, where an associate professor at SGPGIMS was duped of a huge sum of Rs 2.81 crore. The victim, Dr. Ruchika Tandon, fell prey to a well-planned scam that spanned over seven days.

What exactly happened

The ordeal began when Dr. Tandon received a call from individuals posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).They accused her of being involved in illegal activities and threatened to arrest her. To add credibility to their claims, the scammers also impersonated CBI officers.
“I received a call in the morning, with the caller introducing himself from TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and told me that my phone will be switched off as per instructions from the police, because several complaints were lodged with Mumbai Cyber Crime cell against my number for harassing messages being sent to people…”, the victim told PTI.
The victim was then transferred to a purported IPS officer who falsely accused her of being involved in a Rs 7 crore money laundering scheme linked to one of her bank accounts. The imposter threatened immediate arrest and introduced the ominous term ‘digital custody’ to instill fear and compliance.
“They then made me talk to a so-called IPS officer, who told me that one of my bank accounts was linked with illegal activities, such as money laundering worth Rs 7 crore. He said he has received orders to arrest me immediately, and if I am unable to go to them, they will take me in ‘digital custody’. They then made me speak to a CBI officer. They also asked me not to tell about it to anyone since this was a matter of national importance…”, added Tandon.
Under immense psychological pressure and fear of legal repercussions, the professor was coerced into transferring the amount of Rs 2.81 crore over a period of seven days. The fraudsters maintained constant contact with the victim, ensuring she remained isolated and compliant.
What the police said about the incident
The police said that the cybercriminals are masters of manipulation. They exploit the public’s fear of law enforcement by impersonating high-ranking officials. Once they’ve instilled panic, they isolate the victim and force them into making bank transfers.
“If we talk from the point of view of law, there is no such term as ‘digital arrest‘, but the modus operandi of cyber criminals today… when the name of a big investigating is cited, people start panicking thinking they have been named in a case. They make the victims download Skype for video calling, in which they can be seen wearing police uniform but don’t show their face and tell that they cannot reveal their identity. They first take all information from the victim and then tell them that they have been arrested, they cannot talk to anyone, not even on phone…” says Ghulam, Investigating Officer, Cyber Police Station Lucknow, on the case of SGPGIMS professor being duped of Rs 2.81 crore.