Female professor defrauded of Rs 75 Lakh after kept under digital arrest for 10 days

A retired professor from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has reportedly fallen victim to a cyber-fraud, by losing over Rs 75 lakhs to scammers posing as officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The police informed that the fraudsters placed her under a “digital arrest” for 10 days, compelling her into making large payments to avoid imprisonment.

The FIR was lodged last Friday by the victim, Qamar Jahan, following which the police swiftly alerted the relevant banks. The investigation revealed that the funds had been transferred across 21 different bank accounts.

But fortunately, timely intervention by the authorities helped block transactions worth Rs 13 lakhs.

Cyber police inspector VD Panday, who is handling the case, explained that the victim was kept in a state of “digital arrest” for over 10 days, during which time the scammers made her believe that she would face immediate arrest unless she paid significant sums of money.

This new type of cyber fraud involves criminals impersonating law enforcement officials—such as those from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Customs, or ED. These scammers falsely accuse victims of being involved in illegal activities, such as money laundering or the trafficking of banned substances through international parcels. They make threatening video calls, demanding money to avoid arrest.

Jahan reported that the ordeal began on September 28, when she received a call from someone pretending to be an ED official. The scammer accused her falsely of suspicious financial transactions in connection to a money laundering case.

The fraudsters then instructed her to deposit money into specified bank accounts to clear her name and prevent her arrest. Fearing legal repercussions, she complied and transferred over Rs75 lakhs.

It wasn’t until two days ago that Jahan realized she had been defrauded, prompting her to file a complaint with the police.

In recent weeks, multiple cases of similar “digital arrest” frauds have surfaced in the region. Authorities have begun issuing public warnings, clarifying that there is no legal provision for such an arrest and urging people to be cautious of these scams.