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Scam explainer

Digital arrest scam also called Fake CBI/police video call, Digital house arrest, FedEx/TRAI call scam

Callers posing as police, CBI, ED, TRAI or customs claim you are linked to a crime, keep you on a video call for hours or days and make you move savings to a 'safe' account.

How it works

  1. A call or WhatsApp message says a parcel, SIM or Aadhaar in your name is tied to drugs, money laundering or trafficking.
  2. You are 'transferred' to a police, CBI or ED officer who moves you to a video call, often with uniforms, an office backdrop and official-looking warrants.
  3. You are told you are under 'digital arrest': stay on camera, tell no one, and do not leave the room.
  4. To 'clear your name', you are told to send savings, break fixed deposits or take a loan and transfer the money to a 'verification' or 'RBI' account.
  5. The pressure continues until the money is gone; the account belongs to a mule and the funds are moved on within minutes.

Red flags

  • No Indian agency arrests or questions anyone over a video call; 'digital arrest' does not exist in law.
  • You are told to keep the call secret from family, your bank or a lawyer.
  • You are asked to move money to an account for 'verification' or 'safe custody'.
  • Warrants, ID cards or court orders are sent over WhatsApp.
  • The call started with a parcel, courier, TRAI or SIM-disconnection claim.

What to do

  • Hang up. You can end any call from someone claiming to be police; a real notice comes in writing through proper channels.
  • Talk to a family member or your local police station before doing anything the caller asks.
  • If money has gone, call 1930 at once and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in; the first hours decide whether funds can be frozen.
  • Tell your bank immediately and ask it to flag the receiving account.
  • Report the number or WhatsApp account through Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi, even if you lost nothing.

Step-by-step guideDigital arrest scam: how to recognise the call, what to do on it, and what to do if you paid

The numbers

Complaint numbers have fallen sharply since the 2024 peak, but losses per case remain very high. In August 2026 the Supreme Court issued interim directions, including an RBI procedure for holding debits in mule accounts (SCC Online).

Desk coverage

Sources

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