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"Digital arrest" is a scam: how it works and what to do

5 min readFacts valid until 2026-12-31
Older woman in a sari holding up her phone by a window at home

Short answer: There’s no such thing as a “digital arrest” in Indian law. Police, CBI, ED, customs and judges do not arrest anyone on a video call. They never ask you to move money “for verification” (to be checked). If someone says you’re under digital arrest, hang up and tell a family member. If any money has left your account, call 1930.

How the scam works

  1. A call or WhatsApp message: “A parcel in your name contains drugs”, “Your Aadhaar was used for money laundering”, or “Your number will be blocked”.
  2. A video call with a fake “officer”. You see uniforms, a police-station background, logos and an “arrest warrant” PDF.
  3. They cut you off from everyone: “Stay on camera. Don’t tell anyone, or your family will be arrested too.” Calls can last hours or even days.
  4. The money: “Transfer your savings to an RBI safe account for verification. It will be returned after the investigation.” It never is.

How big is it? Government figures given in Parliament show reported cases of digital arrest and related cybercrime rising from about 40,000 in 2022 to over 1.2 lakh in 2024. In 2024 alone, people lost over ₹1,900 crore. The Supreme Court has ordered the CBI to investigate these scams.

A ₹ example

Fictional.

Meena, 64, is told to move her ₹3,00,000 fixed deposit “for verification”. First they ask for ₹50,000 “to start the process”, then ₹2,50,000 “to finish it”. That’s ₹3,00,000: all her savings.

The “small first amount” is a test. Real agencies never ask for any amount at all.

If you get such a call: “Ruko, socho, action lo”

  1. Stop (ruko). Hang up. You don’t have to stay on any call.
  2. Think (socho). No real agency arrests people or collects money over a video call. Uniforms, ID cards and PDFs are easy to fake.
  3. Act (action lo):
    • Tell a family member or friend straight away. Keeping you alone is the scammer’s main weapon.
    • Want to check a “case”? Call your local police station on a number you look up yourself.
    • Report the caller’s number on Sanchar Saathi → Chakshu (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in).

If you’ve already sent money

  1. Call 1930 immediately, or report at https://cybercrime.gov.in. The first hours matter most if the money is to be frozen (blocked) in time.
  2. Call your bank on the number on its website or the back of your card. Ask them to block further transfers, and write down the complaint number.
  3. Keep everything: call numbers, screenshots, times and transaction IDs (UTR, the reference number of each payment).

About getting money back: RBI’s customer-liability rules (rules that limit how much of a loss you carry) mainly cover unauthorised transactions, meaning payments you did not make or allow. Money you sent yourself because someone tricked you may be treated differently. From 1 January 2027, new RBI rules also cover payments you made under pressure or threat, as in a digital arrest. Report quickly anyway. Frozen money can sometimes be recovered.

Protect your family

  • Agree on a family code word that a real relative would know. Ask for it on any call that tries to panic you.
  • Tell older relatives about this scam, since they’re targeted most.
  • Banks must make service and transaction calls only from numbers starting 1600 (promotional calls come from numbers starting 140). Be careful with any call from another number that claims to be your bank.
  • Save 1930 in every family phone.

What to check today

  1. Save 1930 as “Cyber Fraud Helpline”.
  2. Share this page with an older relative and agree on a code word.
  3. Read A suspicious UPI request: what to check before you tap.

Sources and review

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Educational information, not financial advice. Found an error? Tell us → · Corrections log

Frequently asked questions

Is digital arrest legal in India?

No. There is no such thing as a "digital arrest" in Indian law. Police, CBI, ED, customs officers and judges do not arrest anyone on a video call. If someone says you are under digital arrest, hang up and tell a family member. If any money has left your account, call 1930.

Can CBI or police ask me to transfer money to an RBI safe account?

No. Real agencies never ask you to move money "for verification" (to be checked), and they never ask for any amount at all. There is no "RBI safe account" for an investigation. Scammers often ask for a small first amount as a test, then more. Hang up, and don't send anything.

A caller says a parcel in my name has drugs. What should I do?

Hang up. This is a common opening line of the digital arrest scam. You don't have to stay on any call. Want to check whether a case exists? Call your local police station on a number you look up yourself. Then report the caller's number on Sanchar Saathi → Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in.

The caller told me not to tell anyone. Is that a warning sign?

Yes. Cutting you off from everyone is the scammer's main weapon. They may say your family will be arrested too, and keep you on camera for hours or even days. Tell a family member or friend straight away. Uniforms, ID cards, police-station backgrounds and arrest warrant PDFs are all easy to fake.

I sent money in a digital arrest scam. Can I get it back?

Sometimes. Call 1930 at once or report at cybercrime.gov.in, because the first hours matter most for freezing the money. Then call your bank on the number from its website or card, and keep call logs, screenshots and UTR numbers. Money you sent yourself may be treated differently under RBI rules. From 1 January 2027, new rules also cover payments made under threat.

How can I tell if a call is really from my bank?

Banks must make service and transaction calls only from numbers starting with 1600. Promotional calls come from numbers starting with 140. Be careful with any call from another number that claims to be your bank. To protect older relatives, agree on a family code word and ask for it on any call that tries to panic you.