Digital Arrest Scams: How Fraudsters are Extorting Lakhs Through Fake Police Threats
Introduction A disturbing trend has emerged across India as scammers impersonate law enforcement officials to terrorize innocent citizens and extort
In a disturbing trend, cybercriminals in India have found new ways to exploit people’s trust — by impersonating respected organizations like TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and FedEx.
These scams have left many Indians not just poorer but also fearful, confused, and harassed. It’s time to uncover how these scams work and how you can shield yourself.
These fraudsters are highly organized cybercrime rings, often working out of call centers posing as official helplines.
Fake Call Centers: Scam operations are set up to mimic customer support lines.
Trained Impersonators: Scammers undergo training to sound professional and use technical/legal jargon to confuse and scare victims.
Technology Tools: They often spoof official numbers (caller ID masking) and send fake documents on WhatsApp/email to make their claims look authentic.
These criminals are ruthless, exploiting the brand credibility of TRAI and FedEx to win trust in seconds.
The scam typically unfolds in well-planned stages:
Victim receives a call claiming a suspicious package is stuck at customs, often containing “illegal items” (like drugs, passports, or debit cards).
The caller claims to be from FedEx Customer Service.
They transfer the call to a fake Cyber Crime Officer (an impersonator).
Victim is told they are under investigation and must either pay legal clearance fees or face arrest.
Psychological tactics: Victims are threatened with jail, media exposure, or massive penalties if they don’t comply immediately.
Victim receives a call saying their SIM card or phone number is involved in illegal activities or regulatory violations.
Scammer claims to be a TRAI officer.
Victim is threatened with disconnection of services, heavy fines, or police action unless they verify details and pay penalties.
Sometimes, the scam involves asking for KYC updates and stealing sensitive information like Aadhaar or banking details.
Caller ID spoofing to show real organization names.
Fake badge numbers, official-sounding scripts, and urgent tones.
Use of digital documents (fake FedEx tracking, fake TRAI notices).
(Source: The Siasat Daily Cyber Scam Report)
Hundreds of Indians have been scammed across cities and towns, from students to senior citizens.
In some high-profile cases, individual victims lost ₹5 lakh to ₹20 lakh in a single incident.
Total nationwide losses related to such impersonation scams are estimated at over ₹200 crore in 2024.
Many victims also suffered identity theft after sharing personal documents.
🛑 Key Red Flags:
Threats of immediate arrest, penalties, or disconnection over a phone call.
Demands for payment via UPI, gift cards, or wire transfers.
Requests for sensitive details like Aadhaar, OTPs, passwords over call/email.
No physical written notice or official court summons sent before action.
✅ Smart Moves to Protect Yourself:
Remember: TRAI and FedEx will never call individuals demanding money.
Always independently verify any suspicious call — call FedEx or your telecom company using numbers listed on their official websites.
Never panic if threatened — real legal authorities will never ask for instant payments.
Report scam calls to the police and the Cyber Crime portal immediately.
Enable Truecaller ID, Google Call Screening, or similar apps to detect spam/fraud calls.
Important: In case you ever receive such a call, DO NOT engage, DO NOT pay, and DO NOT share any personal information!
Cybercrime Helpline India: Dial 1930
or log complaints at cybercrime.gov.in
Scammers play on fear and urgency. If anyone claiming to be from TRAI, FedEx, customs, or cybercrime authorities demands immediate money or personal information — it is 100% fraud.
Stay calm. Verify independently.
Do not transfer a single rupee, no matter how convincing the caller sounds.
Closing Note:
Scams are evolving every day, but so are awareness and defenses. Share this knowledge widely. Empower your family, friends, and colleagues to recognize and resist these impersonation scams. Together, we can stop fraudsters from winning.
Introduction A disturbing trend has emerged across India as scammers impersonate law enforcement officials to terrorize innocent citizens and extort
1. Who Is Mamik Singh? Mamik Singh is a recognized Indian television and film actor, known especially for his breakthrough
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