New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Saturday issued a warning about a new phone scam that tricks people by accusing them of using their phones to commit crimes and later forcing them to send large amounts of money to the scammers.

How do they scam you?

You get a call from someone pretending to be an official from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) or law enforcement. They accuse you of using your phone for illegal activities. To make it worse, they insist on a video call and tell you that you're under "Digital Arrest."

DoT warns of a specific scam involving calls received from unknown or international numbers on mobile phones or WhatsApp wherein the caller typically impersonates officials from the Customs Department, Narcotics Department, or CBI, claiming that the recipient's documents were found in a suspicious package containing drugs, documents, clothing, an Aadhar card, and a SIM card.

These scammers use fake IDs and threats to manipulate their victims. They pressurise you and question you for hours, making you feel scared and confused. Eventually, They will force you into transferring a large amount of money to them.

How to Protect Yourself?

  • Verify the caller: Always check who you're speaking to. Don't trust a caller just because they claim to be an official.
     
  • Don't share personal information: Never give out personal details without confirming the identity of the caller.
     
  • Report suspicious calls: If you get a suspicious call, report it immediately it on Chakshu portal - https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/

A few weeks ago a 40-year-old doctor in Noida fell victim to this scam, losing around Rs 60 lakh over two days during which she was held under "digital house arrest" by the fraudsters. Accodring to the officials, the accused, posing as officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), coerced her into transferring her money under the threat of a fabricated arrest warrant. 

According to police, the complainant Dr Pooja Goel, who lives in Sector 77 here, received a call on July 13 from individuals claiming to be TRAI officials.

The caller alleged that another phone number registered in her name had been used to purchase illegal obscene videos. They warned her that failure to transfer all her funds would result in an arrest warrant, the police said. Sharing further details about the case, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Vivek Ranjan Rai said, "The woman was connected (on call) to 'Tilak Nagar Police Station, Mumbai', where she was falsely informed about an FIR and arrest warrant related to the circulation of illegal pornographic videos linked to her name."

The scamsters escalated the situation by implicating her in a money laundering case investigation, he said.

"The callers instructed her to join a video call, during which they employed various threats, placing her under 'digital arrest'. They menaced her with potential harm to her and her family, including the abduction of her daughter," said ACP Rai.

The doctor complied with their demands and ended up transferring Rs 59,54,000 from her bank account to those of the fraudsters between July 15 and July 16, he said.