Digital arrest: 3 TN men arrested for Rs 3.8 crore scam

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Police's Cyber Crime wing arrested three persons who provided mule accounts to scamsters, in connection to the Rs 3.8 crore “digital arrest” scam.

Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials to swindle unsuspecting victims. A scammer makes phone or video calls to targets while posing as law enforcement officers and extorts money from the target by creating an atmosphere of fear with threats of surveillance, arrest, and being sent to jail.

Also Read: DT Explains | For digital arrest scamsters, it all starts with your social media profile

In the present case, the complainant had received a phone call from a person claiming to be from the Directorate of Enforcement. Alleging that the complainant's Aadhar card was involved in a money laundering activity, the fraudster threatened the petitioner stating that an arrest warrant had been issued against the latter.

“In addition, the fraudsters sent a fabricated copy of the arrest warrant to the petitioner. Later, they subjected the petitioner to an online interrogation, instructing him to transfer funds from his bank account to a “supervision account” allegedly created to facilitate his release from the fake arrest warrant,” an official release stated.

The complainant ended up transferring Rs 3.84 crore from his bank accounts to various bank accounts provided by the fraudster. After learning that he was taken for a ride, he filed a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

A special team of the State Cyber Crime Investigation Cell arrested three persons, Mathangi Harish Babu (34), a mule account holder who took Rs 1 lakh by selling his account, and Logesh (30), of Ayapakkam, a mule account agent who confessed to providing two bank accounts to the operators and S Afroz (31), of Kavangarai in Chennai, an operator who utilised trading agencies to convert illegal funds allegedly for tax evasion purposes.

All three of them were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Advisory to Public

* Citizens are advised to stay cautious of scam calls, especially those impersonating law enforcement officers, courier services, or financial institutions

* Never share personal information or transfer funds under threat of criminal consequences without verifying the legitimacy of the claim

Report to

If you have fallen victim to such scams, please dial the 1930 helpline for assistance provided by the Cyber Crime wing or register your complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in.