Devgad teacher loses Rs 25,000 to 'digital arrest' scam; case filed at Vijaydurg police station
A teacher from Girye in Devgad taluka was cheated of Rs 25,000 online by a caller who threatened her with a fake arrest warrant.
A teacher from the Girye area of Devgad taluka was cheated online of Rs 25,000 after being threatened with a "digital arrest". A case has been registered at Vijaydurg police station against an unidentified suspect.
According to the police, the suspect phoned the teacher at 10.45 am on September 24. He claimed to be from the police and the cyber crime branch. He accused her of having viewed on her mobile phone an obscene website banned by the Central government. He also said an arrest warrant had been issued in her name by the Mumbai cyber crime branch, and threatened her with a fine of Rs 1 lakh and a year in jail.
She was then sent obscene photographs on WhatsApp and threatened with public defamation. Later, a man in police uniform made a video call to intimidate her. He said he would speak to senior officers and get an apology letter prepared. He also offered that the warrant would be cancelled if she paid 25 per cent of the Rs 1 lakh fine.
Frightened, the teacher sent Rs 12,500 twice to an account given by the suspect, Rs 25,000 in all. She was then asked for another Rs 70,000, on the pretext that two stamp papers of Rs 35,000 each were needed for the apology letter.
The teacher then realised she was being cheated and cut the call. She immediately complained to the cyber helpline and had her bank account frozen. She then filed a complaint at Vijaydurg police station.
Police have registered the case under the relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police Inspector Datta Bhosale and Police Constable Prashant Jadhav are investigating.
Vijaydurg police have appealed to people not to trust calls from anyone claiming to be a police officer, CBI, cyber crime branch or bank official. If anyone demands money by threatening arrest or a case, people should not send it. They should not share OTPs, UPI PINs, bank account details or personal information with anyone. Those who are cheated should immediately contact the 1930 cyber helpline.
