Police or CBI on video call says you are under "digital arrest"
A caller on WhatsApp or video chat impersonates a police officer, CBI agent, or customs official claiming your Aadhaar or phone is linked to drugs or money laundering. They demand you stay on-call and pay to "settle."
Also known as: digital arrest scam, cyber arrest scam, CBI WhatsApp scam, FedEx digital arrest
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
Call 1930 now- 1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
- 2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
- 3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.
- ! If you installed any "support", "server", "refund", or remote-access app at their request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.): disconnect the internet now, then run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it.
What to do right now
- 1 End the call immediately — no government agency will arrest you over video
- 2 Inform a trusted family member or friend right away
- 3 Do not transfer any money under any circumstances
- 4 Do not share Aadhaar, PAN, bank details, or OTPs
- 5 If you installed any 'support' or 'server' or 'refund app' or remote-access app at the scammer's request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.), run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it.
- 6 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).
Was remote-access software installed?
If a scammer asked you to install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, or any remote-access app, your device may still be compromised.
Run SeraphSecure to detect and remove it →Red flags
- ⚠ No law in India permits 'digital arrest' — it is not a real legal concept
- ⚠ Caller shows a fake badge, police uniform, or government office backdrop on video
- ⚠ You are told to stay on the call and not speak to family — this is isolation, a classic scam tactic
- ⚠ Demands money to 'clear your name' or 'pay a fine' before formal charges
Known variants
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Caller claims to be from TRAI and says your mobile number is linked to illegal calls or SIM fraud, and will be disconnected. You are 'transferred' to a fake police officer who demands payment to close the case.
Last seen: 5/16/2026
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In 2026, scammers use real-time deepfake AI to superimpose an actual IPS or CBI officer's face and voice on themselves during video calls. A virtual police-station backdrop with official seals is displayed. Victims cannot visually distinguish the deepfake from a real officer.
Last seen: 5/18/2026
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AI-generated virtual courtrooms host multi-actor impersonations: TRAI→CBI→RBI enforcement→fake judge each demanding crores as 'settlement.' One victim kept 54 days on-call. CBI arrested 3 including a bank official in a ₹1.6 crore case. MHA asked WhatsApp to block device IDs.
Last seen: 5/20/2026
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Pakistan spy accusation (June 2026): caller posing as Delhi ATS or J&K police accuses victim of espionage for Pakistan, threatens 10-year imprisonment + ₹50 lakh fine. Mumbai 64-year-old duped of ₹22.4 lakh — first documented espionage-pretext digital arrest. Same isolation and payment pressure as standard variant.
Last seen: 6/14/2026
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Fake HC judge variant (May 2026): caller poses as a sitting High Court judge needing a 'trustworthy contact for an urgent official matter', builds trust, then demands 'court fees', 'bail deposit' or 'legal clearance'. Bihar Muzaffarpur transporter lost ₹20 lakh.
Last seen: 5/25/2026
Sources
- I4C — Ministry of Home Affairs Cyber Crime Advisory
- CyberCrime.gov.in — Digital Arrest Advisory
- PIB — Govt warns of 'digital arrest' scam
- Free Press Journal — WhatsApp Bans 9,400 Accounts Linked to Digital Arrest Scams
- Live Law — WhatsApp bans 9,400 digital-arrest accounts: MHA to Supreme Court
- India Today — Govt plan: biometric SIM checks and bank debit holds
- NewsCanvassEdu — Digital Arrest Scams 2026: New AI Tactics, Case Studies & PM's Advice
- Free Press Journal / The420.in — CBI launches ABHAY AI helpbot for fake CBI notice verification (May 15, 2026)
- The420.in — Bengaluru elderly woman defrauded of ₹24 crore in digital arrest scam
- The420.in — CBI, RBI and Police Impersonation Used in Digital Arrest Scam Targeting BHEL Employee
- ANI — Gujarat elderly man duped of Rs 1.47 crore in 28-day 'digital arrest' scam (June 2026)
- The420.in — ₹2.10 Crore Digital Arrest Scam Busted in Noida: Fake NIA Identity Used to Spread Fear
- The420.in — Nagpur: 85-year-old defrauded by fake Enforcement Directorate officers in digital arrest scam (June 2026)
- The420.in — Gurugram: Gang arrested for ₹42.92 lakh digital arrest CBI impersonation fraud (June 2026)
- The Hans India — Bengaluru elderly woman loses ₹98 lakh in digital arrest scam, fraudsters posed as IPS officers (June 2026)
- NHRC / The420.in — NHRC open house on digital arrest scams; India lost ₹52,976 crore in 6 years; 8% from digital arrest (June 10, 2026)
- VisionIAS / NHRC — NHRC organises open house discussion on safeguarding human rights against digital arrest scams (June 10, 2026)
- ETV Bharat / ED — 5,300 Indian SIMs Used From Cambodia for Digital Arrest and Cyber Frauds; ED raids June 5, 2026
- Republic Bharat — Cambodia cyber fraud: 36,000 Indian SIM cards active in Cambodia, 5,300 linked to fraud cases (June 8, 2026)
- Free Press Journal — Mumbai: Elderly woman duped of ₹22 lakh by conmen posing as Delhi ATS, J&K cops in espionage scam (June 2026)
- Deccan Herald — Cyber fraudsters accuse Mumbai woman of spying for Pakistan, dupe her of Rs 22 lakh (June 2026)