These fraudsters go to great lengths to appear genuine, often using studios designed to resemble police stations and wearing uniforms. Many victims across the country have lost significant amounts of money to these criminals
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a warning about cyber criminals posing as government officials from agencies like NCB, CBI, RBI, and various law enforcement agencies. These imposters are involved in blackmail and ‘digital arrests,’ as per the MHA’s statement.
According to reports on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), many complaints have been lodged regarding threats, blackmail, extortion, and “digital arrests” by these cyber criminals. They typically contact potential victims claiming that they are either sending or receiving illegal items, like drugs or fake passports. Sometimes, they even claim that a family member is in custody for a crime or an accident.
The MHA stated that demands for money are made to settle these fabricated cases. In some cases, victims are coerced into a “digital arrest,” where they are forced to stay visible over video conferencing until their demands are met.
These fraudsters go to great lengths to appear genuine, often using studios designed to resemble police stations and wearing uniforms. Many victims across the country have lost significant amounts of money to these criminals.
The MHA described this as an organized online economic crime, likely operated by international crime syndicates. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the MHA is working with other ministries, agencies, and organizations to combat these frauds. They have also blocked over 1,000 Skype IDs involved in such activities and are facilitating the blocking of SIM cards, mobile devices, and accounts used by these fraudsters.
The MHA advised citizens to stay vigilant and raise awareness about these scams. If anyone receives such calls, they are urged to report the incident to the cybercrime helpline number 1930 or http://www.cybercrime.gov.in for assistance.