Doctor duped of ₹19 crore in massive ‘digital arrest’ scam in Gujarat

A doctor from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, fell victim to one of India’s most alarming digital scams, losing a staggering ₹19 crore over three months. It began on March 15 with a phone call falsely claiming that objectionable content had been found on her phone. The caller, posing as an official, threatened to disconnect her phone connection and initiate a money laundering case unless she complied.

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What followed was a series of coordinated and manipulative calls from individuals impersonating law enforcement officers, including a sub-inspector and a public prosecutor. Under intense psychological pressure and fear, the doctor was coerced into transferring her life savings to 35 different bank accounts.

The fraudsters also secured a loan against her gold jewellery, transferring those funds as well. Throughout the ordeal, the doctor remained in constant contact with the scammers via video calls, updating them on her movements under the illusion of being under surveillance.

The calls abruptly ceased after three months, prompting the doctor to alert her relatives—only to realize the full extent of the fraud. On July 16, a complaint was filed with the cyber cell of CID Crime.

Following swift investigations, a suspect was arrested in Surat, with ₹1 crore recovered from his account. Authorities are now tracing the larger network and working to recover the remaining funds.