A digital arrest scam is a scam done digitally through WhatsApp,Video calls and other digital methods and intimidating the victim by blaming him for various illegal activities and making him or her to transfer money with the temptation of dropping these cases.[1]
Meaning
Digital arrest scams done online defraud victims of their funds by intimidating or accusing them of illegal activities and coercing them by demanding and pressuring them to make payments.[2] In many cases the victims are made to give away their hard earned earnings.[3]
Accusation
Digital arrest scam involve the following accusations[4]
Digital arrest scam are done through a process called “digital arrest” wherein fraudsters designate themselves as law enforcing members through video calls and submit them to transfer huge amount of money.[5]
Precautions
During digital arrest scams it is advised for the victim to stay calm and not to panic and reveal important information.[6]
National impact
Digital arrest scams, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs, have caused loss of ₹120.3 crore (US$14 million) to Indian citizens.[7] The scams were mainly discovered being operated from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal reported a significant increase in the rise of these incidents from 4.52 complaints in the year 2021 to 7.4 lakh complaints during the first four months of respective years.
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