Two from Gujarat held for ‘digital arrest’ fraud by Hyderabad Cybercrime Unit

Arrested persons are Harpal Singh (54), a home loan consultant from Ahmedabad and Saiyad Aiyub Bhai (50), a property dealer from Surat

Hyderabad: Two persons from Gujarat involved in 17 ‘Digital Arrest’ fraud cases across the country were arrested by the Hyderabad Cybercrime Unit on Wednesday.

The arrested persons are Harpal Singh (54), a home loan consultant from Ahmedabad and Saiyad Aiyub Bhai (50), a property dealer from Surat.

---

According to the police, the scammers posing as representatives of Telecom Department, TRAI, CBI, Cybercime police, Income Tax department, FEDEX Courier etc., contact people through WhatsApp calls, Skype calls and internet calls.

“They threaten the victims by forwarding court order copies and digitally arrest them putting them under fear that they are involved in serious offences such as money laundering and terrorist activities,” said a senior cybercrime official.

The suspsects caution their victims saying it was a national secret issue and confidentiality has to be maintained and nothing to be disclosed to anyone as it would affect their families.

Once the victim transfers the money, the fraudsters block their numbers and go absconding. Based on a complaint from a female doctor who was cheated to the tune of Rs 54 lakh, the Cybercrime police booked a case and arrested the scammers.

Police suspect there could be more victims and efforts are on to identify them.