Nagpur: In a chilling reminder of how ruthlessly cyber criminals are weaponizing fear and technology, a 72-year-old retired nurse from Jaripatka was allegedly held under a fabricated “digital arrest” for nearly three weeks and duped of over Rs 90.65 lakh by fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials.
The shocking cyber fraud, now under investigation by the Nagpur Cyber Police Station, exposes the frightening sophistication with which online scam syndicates are psychologically trapping elderly citizens by exploiting fear of arrest, fake investigations and fabricated courtroom proceedings.
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According to police, the victim, a resident of Martin Nagar, first received a call on November 19, 2025, from a man identifying himself as “Sandeep Rao.” The caller allegedly claimed that her name had surfaced in a massive money laundering probe linked to businessman Naresh Goyal and warned that she could face immediate arrest.
Investigators said the fraudsters then escalated the deception with frightening precision.
The elderly woman was allegedly connected to what appeared to be an online legal proceeding and introduced to another accused posing as a Mumbai Crime Branch officer named “Vijay Khanna.” During a WhatsApp video call, the fraudster reportedly appeared in police uniform, creating an atmosphere of fear and official authority.
What followed was nothing short of psychological captivity.
The accused allegedly informed the retired nurse that she had been placed under “digital arrest” and could not disclose the matter to anyone. Investigators suspect the fraudsters deliberately isolated the victim mentally, ensuring she remained terrified, confused and completely dependent on their instructions.
Under the pretext of “financial verification,” the fraudsters allegedly convinced her that every rupee in her bank accounts had to be examined to prove it was not linked to illegal transactions.
Blinded by fear and believing she was dealing with genuine authorities, the woman prematurely broke two fixed deposits and transferred massive sums through multiple RTGS transactions into bank accounts provided by the accused.
Police said that between November 26 and December 9, 2025, the victim transferred a staggering Rs 90.65 lakh.
Even after siphoning off the money, the cyber criminals allegedly continued the charade, informing the woman on December 10 that the “verification process” had failed but assuring her the money would be refunded the following day.
The illusion finally collapsed on December 11 when the victim tried contacting the so-called officials, only to discover that all phones had been switched off.
Realising she had been trapped in an elaborate cyber fraud operation, the retired nurse approached the Cyber Police Station, following which a case was registered.
Investigators believe the case reflects a rapidly growing trend of “digital arrest” scams across the country, where fraudsters impersonate police officers, CBI officials, ED personnel or court authorities to extort money from unsuspecting victims.
Cyber experts warn that these syndicates operate with alarming professionalism, using fake identities, forged documents, police uniforms, spoofed calls and staged video conferences to create an illusion of legal action.
The case has once again raised serious concerns over the vulnerability of senior citizens to cyber manipulation and the urgent need for widespread digital awareness campaigns.
Police have appealed to citizens to remember one crucial fact:
No genuine law enforcement agency conducts “digital arrests” or demands money transfers for account verification through video calls or messaging platforms.
Further investigation is underway.
