Nagpur: What began as an ordinary WhatsApp call turned into seven days of psychological captivity for a 75-year-old retired journalist from Nagpur, who fell prey to cybercriminals posing as police officials. For a full week, the conmen “digitally arrested” him, monitoring his every move through video calls made every two hours, threatening him with fabricated charges of money laundering and terrorism links, a report in a local daily said.
According to the report, the veteran journalist, who retired from a Hindi daily in 2012 and lives with his wife in Nagpur, shared his traumatic experience after reading the local daily’s report that revealed 218 citizens in Maharashtra lost over Rs 112 crore to similar scams between January and August 2025.
Gold Rate
28 Oct 2025
His nightmare began on October 10, when he received a WhatsApp call featuring the logo of the Data Protection Board of India. “I ignored it at first,” he said, “but later answered, thinking it was official.” The caller claimed obscene messages were being sent from his number and alleged that 20 complaints had been filed against him. Moments later, a man in police uniform, with a ‘Maharashtra Police’ backdrop, joined via video call, claiming to be from Nashik Headquarters.
“He accused me of being linked to a Rs 2.5 crore transaction connected to the banned PFI,” the journalist recalled. “He even showed an ID card, complaint copy, and an ATM card with my name, quoting my Aadhaar number. I was terrified.”
Under threat of arrest, the impostors made him reveal his home via video, share personal documents, and even close his postal savings account, transferring the funds elsewhere. They demanded blank RTGS forms and forbade him from informing anyone.
“For seven days, they called every two hours,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep or eat. I felt trapped inside my own house.”
The report further said that it was only when he confided in a banker relative that the truth came to light. The relative immediately recognised the scam and halted the transaction in time. Though he narrowly escaped financial loss, the emotional damage was immense. “When my son confronted the scammer, he mocked me,” the victim said. “He laughed and said, ‘Tumhara paisa to gaya na, interest to gaya na’, ridiculing me for losing Rs 70,000 in interest after closing my deposit.”
Shockingly, when the journalist approached the cyber police, they refused to register his complaint, dismissing his trauma with the remark: “Aapka paisa to nahi gaya na,” as if monetary loss were the only measure of crime.
His story underscores a growing menace, where fear, manipulation, and official insignia are weaponised to digitally imprison citizens in their own homes. Experts warn that such “digital arrest” scams are spreading rapidly, targeting the elderly and educated alike.
“This was the worst week of my life,” the journalist said quietly. “I didn’t lose money, but I lost my peace, my trust, and my sleep.”
