Rise of the Digital Arrest: Beware of getting trapped in a digital dragnet!

It starts innocuously—an unexpected phone call. The voice on the other end is calm, authoritative and chillingly familiar: “We’ve intercepted your package in Mumbai. It contains prohibited substances. You are under arrest.”
For countless individuals across India, this is not just a hypothetical scenario but a terrifying reality. Known as the ‘digital arrest’ scam, this evolving cybercrime targets an age of convenience where package deliveries are ubiquitous and vulnerabilities lie just beneath the surface of an unsuspecting populace.
In one such case, a Hyderabad resident lost nearly one crore rupees (10 million INR) to scammers who manipulated him into believing he was implicated in a drug-trafficking operation. The scam, which exploits both human psychology and digital impersonation, has now become so prevalent that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed it during his Mann Ki Baat radio program.
Anatomy of a digital arrest
Fraud linked to courier services, particularly high-profile names like FedEx, initially began with simple calls. Victims were informed that their package contained contraband and were asked to travel to Mumbai or Delhi to resolve the matter. But as technology advanced, so did the audacity of these scams.
Today, scammers employ more sophisticated methods. Victims are coerced into participating in video calls, where a fabricated ‘digital arrest’ unfolds in real time. The setup often includes a professional backdrop with police logos and individuals in uniforms, creating a sense of authenticity.
The scammers, using the guise of law enforcement, interrogate the victim, instilling fear and panic. Under duress, victims are often pressured into transferring large sums of money to ‘clear their name’ or settle the issue.
“Social engineering lies at the heart of this scam,” explains Karnnika A. Seth, a Supreme Court advocate and cyberlaw expert. “By exploiting fear and leveraging fake law enforcement identities, these criminals dupe people into compliance.”
For many, the concept of a digital arrest feels plausible—particularly for individuals already navigating a barrage of online transactions, package deliveries, and courier services. The scam thrives on a single moment of doubt, a second of panic.
Praveen Kumar Tangella, a cyber expert, describes the modus operandi: “The scam specifically targets the business community—those frequently shipping goods or managing online sales. For instance, saree merchants and small-scale entrepreneurs have been prime victims.”
The criminals count on two factors: ignorance of legal processes and the innate fear of authority. According to Tangella, the simplest preventive measure is rooted in common sense: “As per Indian law and the IPC (Indian Penal Code), there is no such thing as a digital arrest. Legal formalities cannot and will not be conducted over a video call.”
He further advises victims to counter the scam by asserting that they will contact local police or visit the nearest station. “This alone will likely deter most scammers,” he adds.
Behind the façade of uniforms and morphed logos lies a maze of criminality. “This is organized crime,” Seth emphasises. “It involves cheating by personation, criminal intimidation and extortion.”
Under Section 66C and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, identity theft and cheating by personation are punishable by up to three years of imprisonment and fines. Meanwhile, extortion under the BNS Act carries a potential sentence of seven years. But the real weapon against such crimes, Seth argues, is awareness. “Educating people about cyber safety is imperative. We must empower individuals with knowledge to protect themselves.”
Having said that, the police is treating these crimes as any other digital financial fraud. “The police invokes the sections pertaining to cheating, forgery and criminal intimidation etc. In most of the cases the police is not able to make any headway in the investigation became most often the accused uses fake SIMS and fake bank accounts,” accentuates Ashwin Reddy from Telangana court.
Escalating menace
The sheer scale of this scam has led to coordinated efforts by Indian authorities. Victims are encouraged to report incidents to the government’s cybercrime helpline (1930) or online at cybercrime.gov.in. Law enforcement agencies, in partnership with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), are actively tracking and blacklisting numbers associated with such fraudulent activity.
However, challenges persist. These scammers are often part of transnational networks, making enforcement a daunting task. “It’s a cat-and-mouse game,” admits Tangella. “But every case reported is a step towards dismantling these operations.”
Experts like Tangella and Seth agree that public vigilance is the most effective deterrent. “Verify any package-related claims. Ask yourself: Am I even expecting a delivery? Cross-check with courier services. And most importantly, never transfer money to strangers under duress,” advises Tangella.
Seth echoes this sentiment, calling for a national effort to promote cyber literacy. “Creating awareness is not just a preventive measure—it’s the need of the hour.”
The digital arrest scam is emblematic of our times—a sinister confluence of technological sophistication and human gullibility. By targeting the cracks in a hyper-connected world, these scammers reveal a sobering truth: the weakest link in cybersecurity is often human trust.
As part of the ongoing initiative, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has successfully blocked over 6.69 lakh SIM cards and 1.32 lakh IMEIs associated with fraudulent activities like the digital arrest scam. Additionally, 1700 Skype IDs and 59,000 WhatsApp accounts linked to spoofed international calls have been blocked to prevent further deceptione these measures, scammers continue to exploit victims by using technology such as fake video calls and morphed police logos, creating an illusion of a real ‘digital arrest.’
As scams evolve, so must public awareness. In the words of Tangella: “The antidote to panic is knowledge. The more we understand the tactics of these fraudsters, the less power they hold over us