Pune, 27 March 2026: A 68-year-old retired woman from Hadapsar fell victim to a sophisticated 'digital arrest' scam, losing ₹20.70 lakh to cyber fraudsters between January and February this year.
According to police, the scam began on January 13 when the woman received a call from a man posing as a telecom department official. He falsely claimed that a mobile number registered in her name was being used for obscene calls and circulating inappropriate videos.
He further warned her that a case had been registered and asked her to travel to Mumbai for questioning.
When the woman expressed her inability to travel, the caller redirected her to another individual. Soon after, she received a second call, where the fraudster escalated the threat by alleging her bank account was linked to a ₹2 crore money laundering case.
He also claimed that a debit card in her name had been found with an arrested businessman and warned her of possible arrest.
“The fraudsters created fear by linking her bank account to serious crimes and convinced her to cooperate in the so-called investigation,” said a Hadapsar police officer.
Gradually gaining her trust, the accused asked the woman to share details of her bank accounts, investments, gold, and fixed deposits. Under pressure, she liquidated her assets, including selling shares and gold jewelery, deposited the money into her account, and transferred ₹20.70 lakh to accounts provided by the fraudsters.
The scammers assured her that the money would be returned after verification. However, when no refund was received, the woman realised she had been cheated.
She later approached the Hadapsar police and lodged a complaint on Wednesday. Police have initiated an investigation into the case and are working to trace the accused.