The Indians lost ₹120.3 crore from digital arrest fraud alone in the first quarter of this year alone, according to an Indian Express report which cited data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The issue was even highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 115th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, October 27, 2024.

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46% of such digital fraud cases, including digital arrests, trading scams, investment scams (task-based) and love/dating scams reported during this period involved scammers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, according to the report, who added that the victims lost. a cumulative amount of ₹1,776 crores.

Lost victims ₹1,420.48 crore in trade scams, ₹222.58 crore in investment scams and ₹13.23 million love/dating scams, according to the report Rajesh Kumar, Executive Director of India Cyber ​​Crime Coordination Center (I4C).

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7.4 lakh complaints were filed between January 1 and April 30, 2024, with 15.56 lakh complaints received in the entire year 2023, 9.66 lakh complaints in 2022 and 4.52 lakh in 2021.

“Cybercrime operations in these countries use a comprehensive range of deceptive strategies, including recruitment efforts by exploiting social media to lure Indians with fake job opportunities,” Kumar said in the report.

What are digital arrests?

Victims receive a call with the caller claiming they have sent or will send packages containing illegal goods, drugs, fake passports or others.

In other cases, the scammers would call and tell the victims’ friends and family that the victim was involved in a crime.

They would continue to target their victim via video call, wearing uniforms and claiming to be law enforcement, and then demand money to close the case.

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