In Nashik, a 68-year-old retired policeman was allegedly kept under "digital arrest" for nearly 20 days by fraudsters posing as Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials, as reported. On 28 Sep a woman calling herself an inspector from the ATS in Mumbai claimed his Aadhaar card had been found on a terrorist arrested in Kashmir. About an hour later came a WhatsApp video call from a man in police uniform, who threatened him with arrest and seizure of property. Police say some of the communication also took place on the messaging app Signal. He was told not to leave home, and he transferred ₹41 lakh, ₹25 lakh and ₹5 lakh on 5, 8 and 13 Oct, ₹71 lakh in total. The callers went silent after the last payment. Nashik City Cyber Police have registered a case.
Even a retired policeman, who knows how real inquiries work, was caught. Police, the ATS and the NIA don't question anyone on WhatsApp or Signal. If a caller asks a parent to move the "inquiry" to another app, hang up and call family.
Sources (figures as reported; allegations under investigation):
• The Indian Express, 21 Oct 2026 (updated 3:37 PM IST): https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/nashik-digital-arrest-scam-retired-cop-rs-71-lakh-10930701/
📞 Already on such calls, or money sent? Hang up and dial 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in with the account numbers and transaction (UTR) numbers.
#DigitalArrest #CyberSafety #Dial1930 #SeniorCitizens #ScamProofYourParents #AIgenerated
Made with AI: this video was made with AI tools. It uses illustrative graphics only, with no real people, police officers, logos or chats.
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