Women sells 2 plots, 1 flat, takes bank loan to pay cyber criminals

Bengaluru woman duped in ‘digital arrest’ scam, sells 2 plots, 1 flat, takes loan; loses Rs 2.05 crore. Karnataka cybercrime losses hit Rs 5,474 crore

A shocking case of cyber fraud has emerged in Bengaluru, where a woman was manipulated into selling her properties and taking a bank loan to pay cybercriminals over Rs 2 crore. The incident, described as a ‘digital arrest,’ highlights the growing sophistication of online scams in Karnataka.

The victim, a resident of New Thippasandra, lived with her 10‑year‑old son. On June 19, she received a call from someone claiming to represent Blue Dart courier. The caller alleged that drugs and baggage linked to her Aadhaar number had been discovered and warned that the Mumbai police would soon arrest her.

The fraudsters, posing as police officers, threatened her with severe consequences if she failed to cooperate. They instructed her to install mobile applications and demanded that she remain indoors, cut off from outside communication, until their so‑called investigation was complete. Exploiting her fear, they even used her son’s safety as leverage, warning that he too could face arrest.

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Between June and November, the woman complied with their demands, transferring money multiple times. According to the FIR filed on November 27 at the Whitefield Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police station, she sold an apartment in Vignan Nagar and two plots in Malur at undervalued prices. She also took a bank loan to meet the criminals’ demands. In total, she transferred Rs 2,05,16,652 across 22 transactions, with the largest single payment amounting to Rs 70 lakh.

The fraud came to light when the criminals instructed her to visit a police station to obtain a ‘no‑objection certificate.’ Upon arriving at the Whitefield station, she discovered she had been conned. Police registered a case under provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and investigations are ongoing.

This incident underscores the alarming rise in cybercrime across Karnataka. Data shows that in the past three years, the state has lost Rs 5,473.97 crore in 57,733 cases, recovering only 11.5 percent. On average, Karnataka loses Rs 6.05 crore daily to cybercrime but recovers just Rs 60 lakh. Recovery chances have dropped sharply, from one in five victims in 2023 to barely one in sixteen by 2025.

Officials note that while cryptocurrency fraud has declined, scams involving jobs, matrimonial platforms, and digital trading have grown more complex, often lasting days and causing devastating financial losses.

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