Bengaluru’s biggest digital arrest scam: How a techie was duped of Rs 32 crore

Bengaluru: A senior woman tech professional in Bengaluru was defrauded of Rs 32 crore over nearly six months after falling victim to a sophisticated digital arrest scam involving callers impersonating DHL staff and Central Bureau of Investigation officials. According to the FIR filed on 14 November, the incident began on 15 September 2024 when the victim received a call from someone claiming to be from DHL’s Mumbai Andheri office. The caller alleged that a suspicious package addressed to her had been intercepted and was found to contain credit cards and prohibited drugs.

When she clarified that she lived in Bengaluru, the call was transferred to an individual posing as a CBI officer. The fraudsters told her that she was being monitored by those who had allegedly tried to frame her and instructed her not to contact local police. She was then kept under what the scammers described as “house arrest” via a Skype call for several weeks, during which she continued to work from home.

Police said the woman found the ongoing threats “horrifying”. Under pressure, she was told to declare her assets for verification by what the callers falsely described as the RBI’s “Financial Intelligence Unit”. She subsequently broke fixed deposits, liquidated savings and transferred money into 187 accounts over the course of the scam, which continued until early March 2025. She did not immediately report the fraud, with officials stating that she was in shock and also occupied with preparations for her son’s wedding in June.

Authorities have ordered a detailed investigation, and officials said the case is likely to be transferred to the CID as the amount involved exceeds Rs 3 crore.