Bank manager’s alert stops ₹50-lakh ‘digital arrest’ scam

Prompt action by a bank official helped the city police foil an attempt by a cybercrime gang to dupe an elderly woman of ₹50 lakh by threatening her under the pretext of a digital arrest, here on Friday.

According to the police, the victim, a retired woman who earlier worked as a Head Nurse, received phone calls from unknown persons who claimed to be cybercrime officials. They told her that her details had surfaced in a case involving an agent accused in a human trafficking racket and threatened her with arrest unless she deposited ₹50 lakh into a bank account specified by them.

Panic-stricken, the woman withdrew her retirement savings and fixed deposits, obtained a cheque and went to a bank to submit it. However, the bank manager, M. Anil Kumar, grew suspicious of the transaction. Recalling the cybercrime awareness meetings earlier conducted by the police for bankers, he advised the woman to immediately contact the Commissioner of Police at 7995095799.

Responding promptly, Commissioner of Police Shankabratha Bagchi, with the assistance of the Cyber Crime Police and Task Force teams, ensured that all transactions were halted in time, thereby preventing any financial loss to the victim.

Mr. Bagchi appealed to the public to remain vigilant against cybercrimes, particularly frauds committed in the name of digital arrest. He urged citizens not to panic on receiving threatening calls from suspicious individuals and to report such incidents to the police without delay.