Fake Police Scam: Gujarat Man Must Visit Lucknow Police Station Otherwise He Will Be Arrested

Last updated:Oct 25, 2024 5:45 PM IST

A man from Gujarat was held for a “digital arrest” by fraudsters in the guise of Lucknow police. The scammers claimed that the man’s telephone number had been misused and that he should file a complaint.

The image shows the scammer posing as Lucknow Police (left) and a fake message ‘issued’ by the Supreme Court of India (right). (Image credit: X/@vijaygajera)

A man from Gujarat received a call from a scammer posing as a police officer from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. The scammer told Vijay Patel that his phone number was associated with illegal activities and warned him to appear at the police station or give his statement through a WhatsApp video call. When Patel agreed to the video call, the scammers performed a “digital bust,” falsely linking him to a money laundering case and demanding he transfer all his money, promising a refund if he was later proven “innocent.” found.

How did it all start?

It all started with a phone call Patel received from an unknown number. “I received a call from an unknown number informing me that my mobile numbers would be blocked within the next four hours as they were being used for harassment and financial fraud. Scammers are making this call in the name of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The scammers, in the guise of TRAI, demanded that he travel to Lucknow police station or record his statement through a video call on WhatsApp. “Any normal person will choose the second option (video call via WhatsApp),” adding, “After receiving a WhatsApp call, I found a scammer in a police uniform and set up like a police station.”

The setup was so convincing that anyone could have fallen for this ‘digital arrest’ scam. The impersonator, posing as a police officer, asked Patel to switch to his reversing camera and provide a 360-degree view of his surroundings. This was to confirm that he was alone and ensure that there would be no interruptions while he made his “statement” to the alleged officer.

Aadhaar details and phone number linked to illegal activities

The scammers told him that his Aadhaar details had been used to purchase a SIM card linked to illegal activities and urged him to file a complaint immediately. During this time, Patel was kept on a leash. Soon after, he received a forged document, purportedly issued by the Supreme Court of India, stating that he had provided information to a wanted criminal, Mohammed Islam Malik Nawab, to open accounts with ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and SBI. According to the forged document, these accounts were involved in a large-scale money laundering and investment fraud case.

“The next step is very interesting, he used walky talky to inquire about me at the police headquarters. His tone changed and he started threatening me after headquarters ordered him to arrest me!’ Patel added.

They linked Patel to a money laundering case to find out “how many bank accounts the victim has and how much money was in each account.”

Patel further said that the scammers started asking whether he was using UPI apps or online banking, probably with the intention of using these methods to transfer the money.

Towards the end of an hours-long con, the fake police officer hands the case over to fake DCP. “He (fake DCP) told me to transfer all the money I had in my bank accounts, which would be returned if I was found innocent, and that they would give me a certificate!”

Patel played along all along to document the entire scam and raise awareness. “I request you all to share this thread to the maximum because every day innocent people are targeted and lose their livelihood in one day. Only awareness can help stop this,” he concluded.