‘I Was In Shock’: Bengaluru Executive Duped of ₹32 Crore In Elaborate ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam By Fake CBI Officers

Digital scams and arrests are on a rise. A new cybercrime has been reported out of Bengaluru, wherein the victim was duped for over Rs. 31.8 crores in total in a span of six months. Scammers disguised as 'fake CBI officials' threatened her, scared her about identitiy theft, and even barred her from going to the police or any lawyer. Their elaborate story was bought by this 57-year-old MNC executive, leading her to losing crores of money.

According to TOI, this scam begun in September 2024, wherein the victim was put through relentless psychological coercion, including 'digital house arrest' via constant video surveillance. She was monitored even while being hospitalised, leaving her traumatized and financially ruined.

It all started with a phone call from a person claiming to be a representative from DHL Logistics, Andheri, Mumbai. The person alleged that a parcel addressed to the victim contained three credit cards, four passports, and a consignment of MDMA. The fraudster then transferred the call to fake CBI officials, who accused her of being part of a racket. They warned her identity theft and asked her to co-operate with their virtual investigation, or face immediate arrest. They had access to her personal tax filinfs and call records as well, and this lead the victim to believe them.

They told her not to contact local police, lawyers, or even family members. She was then pushed to be on round-the-clock communication via Skype, and one fake CBI officer even put her on 'house arrest'. When she bribed one CBI official, another fake CBI officer staged a 'fake arrest' of the previous one for accepting bribe. These fabricated lies continued for six months.

She made multiple trasactions of Rs. 2 crores, and Rs. 2.4 crores in the gard of 'expediting clearance'. Over the course of this tragedy, she is said to have made a total of 187 transactions, untill the scammers vanished overnight on March 26 this year.

"I was in shock," the victim reportedly told investigators, her voice still trembling months later. "It took months for me to recover. My son got married in June 2025, and I waited for it to be over. Through 187 transactions, I stand deprived of approximately Rs 31.8 crore."

Bengaluru police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.

Published on: Monday, November 17, 2025, 10:25 AM IST