In his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to stay alert against “digital arrests.” He emphasized that investigative agencies will never reach out to individuals via phone or video call regarding such matters. The Prime Minister noted that probe agencies are collaborating with state authorities to address this issue, but stressed that awareness is crucial for self-protection against these crimes.
His appeal follows a similar incident in the national capital, where seven individuals were arrested for conducting a ‘fake’ raid on a resident of DLF Farms and attempting to extort Rs 5 crore by posing as Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.(PTI file)
This incident occurred on the night of October 21, when the suspects entered the victim's home, pretending to be ED officers. Fortunately, the victim was able to alert the authorities the next day when the fraudsters tried to take him to Kotak Bank in Hauz Khas to withdraw the money.
Safeguard yourself against scams
Following recent incidents, such as the fake raid in Delhi, India’s cyber-security agency, CERT-In, has issued a warning regarding a rise in online scams. One notable scam is the “digital arrest” scheme, where cybercriminals impersonate government officials.
What is a ‘Digital Arrest’?
Fraudsters are using video calls to pose as government officials, employing pressure tactics such as accusing victims of involvement in illegal activities and instructing them to remain under “Digital Arrest.” They craft convincing fake identities and urge victims not to disconnect the calls or leave their homes.
In a recent episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that no official will investigate or demand money or fines over a call. He clarified that the concept of “Digital Arrest” does not exist in the Indian legal system.
Prime Minister Modi also outlined a three-step strategy to protect against the threat of digital arrest. He said, “Be aware that no investigating agency conducts such interrogations over the phone or video call. The three steps to digital security are: stop, think and act,”
He emphasized that the first action upon receiving such a call is to “stop,” followed by the second step, which is to “think.” He reiterated that legitimate agencies like the police will not threaten individuals or request money through video calls.
The third step involves taking appropriate measures. He encouraged victims to call 1930, the national cyber helpline, and to report incidents on the official website cybercrime.gov.in.
During the episode, he highlighted how scammers often impersonate officials from agencies like the CBI, narcotics, RBI, or the police, engaging with victims as fake officers. He noted that listeners of Mann Ki Baat showed interest in discussing this critical issue.
“People from every class and age group fall victim to digital arrest. People have lost lakhs of rupees earned through their hard work, out of sheer fear. Whenever you receive such a call, don’t be scared. You should be aware that no investigative agency ever inquires like this through a phone call or a video call,” PM Modi said.
Furthermore, PM Modi mentioned that authorities have blocked thousands of video-call IDs and over a hundred thousand SIM cards, mobile phones, and bank accounts involved in these scams.
He stated that while agencies are working diligently to protect individuals from cyber fraud, it is essential for every citizen to be aware of these scams. He urged victims of digital arrest or other forms of cyber fraud to share their experiences widely to enhance public awareness.
Steps to take
CERT-In's advisory offers helpful suggestions to prevent becoming a victim of these scams:
Confirm the identity of anyone claiming to represent a government agency by reaching out to the appropriate authority directly.
Avoid sharing personal or financial details with unfamiliar callers or online.
Refrain from transferring money under pressure; genuine agencies will not insist on immediate payments.
If you're uncertain, report these incidents to the national cybersecurity helpline at 1930 or visit the cybercrime website at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
A comprehensive government strategy to address the issue
Modi emphasized the government's comprehensive approach to tackling cybercrime, which includes the establishment of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
Various departments and agencies are engaged in investigating these crimes, such as the Home Ministry (through I4C), the IT Ministry, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), the Department of Revenue (DOR), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), TRAI, and numerous banks, payment service providers, telecom companies, and social media platforms.
This month, the DoT launched the “International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System” in two phases. This system can identify and block spam international calls that show Indian numbers as the caller ID. Often, during digital arrests, calls originate from international numbers but appear as Indian numbers on victims’ phones. At the telecom level, this system blocks between 3 to 3.2 million calls daily.
In the second phase, the DoT and telecom service providers developed an integrated system that successfully identified and blocked 13.5 million incoming international calls spoofing Indian numbers within the first 24 hours of operation.
On May 14, the I4C issued a warning to the public regarding “digital arrests,” describing them as organized online economic crimes operated by cross-border crime syndicates.
A recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) titled “Transnational Organised Crime and the Convergence of Cyber-Enabled Fraud, Underground Banking and Technological Innovation in Southeast Asia: A Shifting Threat Landscape” highlighted that such digital arrests, referred to as “law enforcement impersonation,” are increasingly prevalent in Southeast Asia. It mentioned that Chinese embassies worldwide and Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau had warned their citizens about these incidents. In June 2024, Singapore authorities reported 63 cases of digital arrests, resulting in total losses exceeding US$8.1 million.
In its May alert, the I4C noted that, in partnership with Microsoft, it had successfully blocked over 1,000 Skype IDs associated with digital arrests. I4C is also collaborating with Microsoft to develop a system that employs machine learning and artificial intelligence to track Skype IDs that misuse official logos in their display pictures, as stated by I4C CEO Rajesh Kumar on May 22.
At that time, Kumar indicated that until May, police had not encountered any cases of AI-generated voices or faces being used to scam victims in connection with digital arrests.
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