Pune Senior Citizen Loses Rs 2.74 Crore in ‘Digital Arrest’ Cyber Fraud
Kothrud, 12th March 2026: An 82-year-old retired manager of a multinational company from Kothrud lost Rs2.74 crore to cyber fraudsters who impersonated officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Central Bureau of Investigation in a “digital arrest” scam that continued for nearly two months.
According to the complaint filed with the Pune City Cyber Police, the fraud began in the first week of January when the senior citizen received a message on a mobile application from individuals claiming to be investigators handling a sensitive money laundering case. The callers told him that his bank account had allegedly been linked to illegal financial transactions.
Senior Police Inspector Swapnali Shinde said the scammers created panic by claiming the case involved a former airline owner who had already been arrested.
“They convinced the victim that his bank accounts were connected to a money laundering network. The fraudsters insisted that he must cooperate with their ‘investigation’ and asked him to share his banking details and identification documents for verification,” Shinde said.
Under pressure, the elderly man shared details of his bank accounts, including fixed deposits, along with copies of his Aadhaar and PAN cards. The suspects then claimed that they had placed his phone under surveillance and warned him not to discuss the matter with anyone.
“The callers told him he was under ‘digital arrest’ and that his phone and camera were being monitored around the clock,” Shinde said. “Out of fear, the victim avoided discussing the issue even with his family.”
Police said the fraudsters continued contacting him intermittently and demanded money in the name of clearing the alleged case. Each time, they provided a different bank account for transferring funds.
“The victim ended up transferring Rs 2.74 crore to 12 separate bank accounts over several transactions,” Shinde said.
The fraud came to light after the man’s wife grew suspicious about the repeated financial transfers. She questioned him, following which the couple decided to seek legal advice.
“When they consulted a lawyer last week, he immediately suspected a digital arrest scam and advised them to approach the cyber police,” Shinde added.
Following the complaint, the Pune Cyber Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the bank accounts used in the fraud and identify the suspects.
Authorities have urged citizens, particularly senior citizens, to remain cautious and verify the identity of officials before sharing personal or banking information online.
