Kolkata, India: A 76-year-old woman from Lake Town became a victim of a cyber scam. The fraudsters held her hostage over the phone for two days and coerced her into transferring Rs 11 lakh. According to the Kolkata Police, the accused, Mahesh Kumar (20), was arrested from Alwar, Rajasthan in connection with the case.
Victim Trapped in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam
Manju Ganguly, 76, is a resident of Dum Dum Park in Kolkata. She received a video call in December last year from a scammer. The scammer allegedly posed as an officer of the Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch. According to the complaint filed by Manju, the fraudster was dressed in a police uniform. The scammers claimed that her Aadhaar card had been used for illegal activities, including SIM card fraud, sexual harassment, and fake gambling advertisements.
Threatened with Arrest
The caller threatened Ms Ganguly with legal action and kept her virtually hostage for two days, preventing her from seeking help. Under immense pressure, she transferred Rs 11 lakh to multiple bank accounts provided by the scammers.
Following this, the lady filed an official complaint at Bidhannagar Police Station. After receiving the complaint, police launched an investigation into the matter. The police traced the accused through his mobile tower location and IP address, eventually leading to his arrest in Rajasthan’s Alwar on Tuesday.
An officer of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate said, “Mahesh Kumar, a 20-year-old man from Bas Kripalnagar village in Kishangarh Bas tehsil of Alwar district in Rajasthan, was arrested in connection with a digital arrest case filed in Lake Town Police Station”.
Rise in Cyber Scams Targeting the Elderly
The Police have noted a sharp rise in such “digital arrest” scams where criminals impersonate law enforcement officials and intimidate victims into compliance. A similar case was reported last month in New Town Kolkata. A retired Air Force officer lost Rs 1.7 crore in an identical digital fraud.
Meanwhile, the authorities have urged citizens, especially the elderly, to remain vigilant and cautious. They have urged the citizens to verify such fraud calls with official sources before taking any action.
