‘Digital arrest’: How call drop ended Hyderabad techie’s 24-hour ordeal | Hyderabad News

After a digital arrest, a technician spends hours on a WhatsApp video call with the fraudsters, following every instruction (AI image)

HYDERABAD: After more than 24 hours of ‘digital arrest’ in a fake money laundering case, a 44-year-old software professional from the city finally sought help from the police and managed to escape the clutches of the cyber criminals early on Sunday morning without losing anything. money.
According to the police, the victim cycled 15 km from his home Miyapur to a lodge in Ameerpet while continuously on a WhatsApp video call following the instructions of the fraudsters who told him to leave his home until the case was resolved, so as not to involve his family.

The tech’s problems started late Friday night with text messages, which he initially ignored as spam. But around 3 a.m. on Saturday, he received the first call from the fraudsters who posed as FedEx couriers and then as Mumbai police officers. Aadhaar number was related to a money laundering case. They convinced him of the impending danger he faced and asked him to stay on a WhatsApp video call until his account was verified.
Call dropped, cyber police rescue city tech under ‘digital arrest’
The ordeal of a 44-year-old techie from the city, who was digitally arrested by fraudsters, began late on Friday evening when he received text messages claiming that his Aadhaar number was linked to a money laundering case.
Following the scammers’ instructions, he left his home in Miyapur around 4 am and told his wife and young son that he had an emergency meeting with his boss at a hotel and would be busy for the next few hours, a cybercrime officer said. Police said the scammers threatened him with arrest and legal trouble for his family if he didn’t comply.
“They told him that the procedure would continue until Monday when the banks would open for operations. He could then make an RTGS payment from his account for verification and be released,” the officer added.
This continued till around 4 am on Sunday morning when the call suddenly dropped and he managed to call Hyderabad cybercrime helpline 8712665171.
Constable Mokthala Ganeshwho received the call kept him on the phone for over an hour until his family reached the lodge and rescued him.

“When I heard his voice, I realized he had fallen into the trap of cybercriminals. He was very scared. To make sure he didn’t break down or resort to an extreme step, I kept talking to him on my personal cell phone. I also collected his neighbor’s number and arranged for someone to contact his family. I hung up the phone only after his family reached the lodge and picked him up,” Ganesh told TOI.
Later, the victim thanked the counter and told the police that it was only because of his (Ganesh) help and guidance that he had not lost money.
While narrating the ordeal, the victim told police that he kept his phone plugged into the charger all the time and was not allowed to disconnect the video for a second even when he went to the toilet.
“Although the connection was disconnected a few times, the fraudsters called back. It was only on Sunday morning that I managed to reach the cybercrime police,” he said. Cybercrime ACP RG Si va Maruthi and other city cops praised Ganesh for his timely intervention.
“We respond immediately to such incidents and assist victims. We also urge people not to give in to the demands of such fraudsters and remain alert,” Siva Maruthi said.
Recent cases of digital arrest
Oct 2024 | A pilot from Begumpetemployed by a private airline, fell victim to a digital capture scheme, losing ₹7 lakh.
May 2024 | A woman architect was placed under digital arrest but was released after paying ₹60 lakh to the scammers.
March 2024 | A Ph.D scholar at IIT Hyderabad was scammed of ₹30 lakh after digital arrest.