Digital arrest

DIGITAL arrest — the term might sound like something straight out of science fiction, but it is fast becoming a real-life menace. As per government data, Indian citizens lost around Rs 120 crore to this fraud — highlighted by PM Narendra Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday — during the first quarter of 2024. The modus operandi is inventive: Callers posing as officials of the police, CBI, RBI or the narcotics department inform potential victims that they are under investigation on grounds such as the seizure of their postal consignments carrying drugs. They are told to cough up money or face legal consequences, including arrest. Pushed to the brink by sheer panic, coupled with the fact that these ‘officials’ know significant details about them, the gullible ones end up making the payment.

Padma Bhushan awardee and Vardhman Group chairman SP Oswal would know what this is all about. A couple of months ago, an interstate gang of cyber criminals, who claimed to be CBI officers, duped the renowned industrialist of Rs 7 crore. Kept under digital surveillance for two days, he was not allowed to call or text anyone. The fraudsters also orchestrated a fake Supreme Court hearing through a video call. If such an influential person was rendered helpless by scammers, one can well imagine the plight of commoners.

The ambitious Digital India programme, launched by the government in 2015, has largely achieved its aim of transforming India into a digitally empowered nation, but it has also made more and more citizens vulnerable to cybercrime. There is a dire need for people to be vigilant — especially the elderly, who are not very tech-savvy. With the PM himself flagging the issue, public awareness about it is bound to increase. However, this is unlikely to deter criminals from trying out new methods to commit fraud. Cybersecurity agencies ought to remain ahead of the curve rather than playing catch-up.