New Delhi: Digital arrests have recently emerged as a common form of digital fraud in India, costing Indians a significant chunk of their hard-earned money. However, digital arrest is a scam that can be prevented if one is aware of the fraud techniques used by fraudsters to digitally arrest victims.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent Mann ki Baat speech warned the country about the rise in digital arrest scams. “There is no such thing as digital arrest in our laws,” he said, adding that this was just fraud. According to Prime Minister Modi, digital arrest can be prevented by following three steps of digital security: stop, think and act.

What is a digital arrest?
In digital arrest scams, fraudsters pose as CBI, police and sometimes RBI personnel. They primarily use phone calls to reach their victims, then switch to video calls via Skype and WhatsApp.

After switching to video, scammers often use a police station-style setup to trick victims into thinking police officers are making the call.

Scammers claim that the target’s detention was due to their alleged illegal activity.
Victims are threatened with digital arrest warrants for the alleged crime. Scammers demand cash or fines to cancel the digital arrest warrant. After payment, scammers disappear and victims face financial loss.

Thousands of people have fallen victim to such scammers. According to data from the National Cyber ​​Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), this scam is quite common. An Indian Express report using NCRP statistics claims that in the first quarter of 2024, Indians lost up to Rs 120 million due to digital arrest cases.

How to detect digital arrest fraud?
In his recent Mann ki Baat speech, Prime Minister Modi issued a warning to the country about the rise in digital detention scams. The Prime Minister said that there is no such thing as digital arrest in our laws and that criminal gangs that do this are enemies of society.

Scams using digital capture can be detected. First of all, no one from the government calls people, threatens them or demands money. PM Modi claims that no government organization has called people to demand money.

Secondly, there is no need to panic if you receive such a call. You should understand that scammers are collecting your personal information and trying to scare you.

Third, scammers often make up emergencies to force you to act impulsively. Scammers put pressure on the victim by constantly staying in the conversation. If you believe scammers are creating a sense of urgency, this may be a case of cybercrime.

Fourth, you should be careful if scammers implicate you in a major crime while talking on the phone. You can immediately tell that the call is fake because you haven’t done anything illegal.

How do you protect yourself from digital arrest scams?
The key to avoiding becoming a victim of digital detention scams is to be alert and aware of such fraudulent activities. According to Prime Minister Modi, digital security has three steps: stop, think and act.

* There is no such thing as digital arrest in our law.

* No government agency calls or threatens people, nor does it demand money over video calls.

* Don’t panic when you receive a call. Take a screenshot and record a call instead.

* Verify the identities of scammers posing as law enforcement by contacting government or law enforcement directly through the appropriate means.

* If you become a victim of a digital detention scam, the first thing you should do is report your bank and freeze your account immediately.

* Never disclose private information to third parties, including KYC details, user ID password, card details, CVV, OTPs or bank details such as PIN number.

* Victims should call the national cyber helpline 1930 and report such incidents to cybercrime.gov.in.