Hyderabad, July 18 (IANS) Digital arrest cases in Hyderabad came down by more than 75 per cent in the first half of 2025 as a result of increased alertness due to continuous awareness programmes, a senior police official said on Friday.

A total of 34 digital arrest cases were reported this year up to June 2025.

During the same period last year, 140 cases were registered.

As many as 214 digital arrest cases were registered in the second half of 2024.

A digital arrest is a fraudulent tactic/scam used by the cyber criminals to falsely accuse individuals of breaking the law, often claiming the existence of a digital arrest warrant.

According to the police, most of the victims are senior citizens in the age group of 60 to 80 years, who are highly educated and retired professionals whose children are found to be living/working abroad.

The fraudsters are calling the victims by posing themselves as CBI/Customs/DRI/ED officers, sending fake arrest and non-bailable warrants, fake/fabricated court orders, fake letters of TRAI to their mobile numbers linked with Aadhar cards.

The fraudsters put the victims in fear of impending arrest as if they are involved in criminal cases of money laundering, drug peddling, seizure of contraband, etc, said P. Viswa Prasad, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime and SIT).

Under the threat of arrest and issue of a non-bailable warrant, job loss, and imprisonment and that the matter is being kept confidential, the victim is coerced to liquidate all assets within 24 hours.

The fraudsters, during video calls for two to three hours, ask victims to prematurely withdraw whatever fixed deposits they have, take a loan against the gold, and obtain a personal loan and transfer the amount to them.

The victims transfer the money under fear and pressure.

The police recently detected two digital arrest cases.

On April 5, the complainant aged about 84 years reported that he received a call from an unknown person claiming that his phone number was involved in illegal activities and he was connected to another person, who introduced himself as an IPS officer.

He was manipulated into depositing Rs 44 lakh under the guise of a money laundering investigation under the threat of arrest and damage of reputation.

Police arrested three accused — Tauqeeb Raza, Rahil Imam, and Ali Asad, all residents of Jharkhand.

On March 29, the complainant aged about 69 years reported that she was contacted by an unknown person claiming to be from TRAI and Mumbai Plice who said that her mobile number was linked to serious criminal activities, including money laundering and human trafficking.

She was pressurised to transfer her liquid assets amounting to Rs 38.7 lakh.

Police arrested one Arbaz Pasha, a resident of Bengaluru, on July 9.

–IANS

ms/khz