Retired Patna University professor duped of Rs 3.07 crore in 'digital arrest' fraud

Patna (The Uttam Hindu): A former professor of Patna University has fallen victim to a massive cyber fraud, losing Rs 3.07 crore to conmen who reportedly "digitally arrested" her for two days. The incident, one of the largest cyber fraud cases in Bihar, has been registered with the cyber police station in Patna.

The professor, who lives alone in Patna while her family resides in Delhi, received a call from an individual claiming to be a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer. The caller falsely accused her of involvement in a money-laundering case, creating a sense of urgency and fear. The caller disconnected after this initial interaction, but her ordeal had just begun.The scammers used advanced psychological and technical manipulation over the next two days to coerce her into transferring large sums of money, ultimately totalling Rs 3.07 crore. The victim was "digitally arrested", a tactic that involves continuous digital communication to restrict the victim’s ability to verify the claims or seek help.

The scammers escalated the pressure by making a video call where the caller wore a police uniform, adding credibility to their fake narrative.Over the next two days, the woman received multiple calls from different numbers. The scammers used psychological pressure tactics, claiming she was "digitally arrested" and facing an imminent investigation.

During the staged "interrogation", the fraudsters extracted her bank account details under the guise of conducting an investigation.Using the information provided, the criminals drained Rs 3.07 crore from her multiple bank accounts.After realizing she had been duped, the woman reported the incident to the cyber police station in Patna and then travelled to Delhi to be with her family.An officer of the cyber police station said that the FIR was registered in the cyber police station on Saturday and began an investigation.

"Tracing the multiple phone numbers and identifying the perpetrators are our top priorities," he said.Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant against such scams, especially calls from unknown numbers claiming to represent law enforcement or government agencies.