A 57-year-old woman from Indiranagar, Bengaluru, was cheated of Rs 31.83 crore over six months, making it the largest amount lost by a single victim to the ‘digital arrest’ scam in Karnataka.
The victim, a senior IT professional, was trapped, threatened and manipulated by cybercriminals who kept her under constant digital surveillance, even during hospitalisation, until they suddenly vanished in March 2025.How fake courier call turned into nightmare
The scam began on September 15, 2024, when the woman received a call from someone posing as an employee of DHL. The caller claimed that a suspicious parcel in her name had arrived at the company’s Mumbai office. The package allegedly contained credit cards, multiple passports and banned MDMA drugs.
When she said she lived in Bengaluru and had no connection to the courier, the caller claimed it could be a cybercrime since her phone number was linked to the package. She was asked to report the matter to the cybercrime cell. Before she could respond, the call was transferred to a person posing as a CBI officer.
The woman later told police she went through “a horrifying experience filled with threats and fear.” The fraudsters warned her not to approach local police or seek legal help, claiming powerful criminals were watching her.
They even threatened to harm her family if she informed anyone. With her son’s wedding approaching, she panicked and followed their instructions.
Months of digital ‘house arrest’
The criminals forced her into a digital house arrest, demanding that she stay on a Skype video call with her camera on. A man pretending to be CBI officer Pradeep Singh assigned another man, Rahul Yadav, to “monitor” her for a week. During this period, she continued working from home while staying constantly connected to the scammers.
During her house arrest, she made 187 transactions, adding up to Rs 31.83 crore. The fraudsters promised her that the money would be returned after verification by February 2025. They even sent her a fake “clearance certificate” on December 1, shortly before her son’s engagement.
Soon after, she fell ill and required hospitalisation. She was still compelled to report daily updates over Skype. The ordeal continued for months, with repeated delays and constant intimidation. The scammers finally cut all contact on March 26.
The woman filed a complaint on November 14, telling the police that she delayed reporting because she was in shock, was busy with her son’s June wedding and had also travelled abroad. She said she later fell ill for nearly a month, which further delayed her complaint.
The East Cybercrime Police have now registered an FIR and begun tracing the long chain of transactions. A senior officer said the case is likely to be transferred to the CID, given the sum lost is over Rs 3 crore.
“If only she had informed someone or cut the call earlier, she would have been safe,” the officer was quoted by DH as saying.
# Bengaluru’s Largest Digital Arrest Nightmare: Techie Woman Loses Rs 32 Cr in 6-Month Virtual Captivity
November 17, 2025**
In the heart of India's Silicon Valley, where code meets confidence, a 57-year-old tech executive's life unraveled not in a courtroom, but on a Skype screen. Over six harrowing months, fraudsters masquerading as CBI sleuths held her in a suffocating "digital arrest," extracting Rs 31.83 crore through 187 relentless bank transfers. This Bengaluru bombshell – the state's costliest such scam – exposes the terrifying evolution of cyber fraud, where threats of jail time and forged documents turn homes into invisible prisons. As the Indiranagar woman fights to reclaim her shattered world, her story screams a warning: In the digital age, no one's untouchable.
## The Victim: A Seasoned Pro Humbled by High-Tech Horror
Meet the face behind the figures: A senior software engineer at a top Bengaluru IT firm, residing in upscale Indiranagar. At 57, she's no novice – decades in the tech trenches, a CXO-level role that demands sharp wits and unyielding trust in systems. Yet, with a son's wedding looming in June 2025, her world tilted on September 15, 2024. What began as a routine call spiraled into a nightmare of coercion, surveillance, and soul-crushing isolation. "All this time I had to report over Skype where I am and what I am doing," she later recounted, her voice a mix of defiance and despair. This wasn't just financial theft; it was psychological warfare, preying on her deepest fears for family and freedom.
## How the Scam Unfolded: A Chilling Timeline of Deception
Digital arrest scams thrive on isolation and intimidation, and this one was a masterclass in manipulation. Posing as CBI officers, the fraudsters – with uncanny access to her personal data – wove a web of lies that ensnared her for 193 days. Here's the blow-by-blow:
| Phase | Date Range | Key Events | Transfers Made |
|-------|------------|------------|----------------|
| **The Hook** | Sept 15-23, 2024 | Call from fake DHL rep claims parcel with MDMA, passports in her name. Switched to "CBI officers" threatening arrest; install Skype for "safety." Monitored by impostors like Mohit Handa and Rahul Yadav. | None – just surveillance setup. |
| **The Pressure Cooker** | Sept 24-Oct 22, 2024 | "Senior CBI officer" Pradeep Singh demands asset verification via forged RBI docs. Knows her location/phone activity; insists on transfers to "secure" accounts to prove innocence. | Initial large sums shared; ~50 transactions begin. |
| **The Surety Trap** | Oct 24-Nov 3, 2024 | Demands Rs 2 crore "surety" plus "taxes" on assets. Promises clearance before son's Dec 6 engagement. Victim falls seriously ill from stress. | Bulk of Rs 31.83 cr; 100+ transfers. |
| **The False Dawn** | Dec 1-25, 2024 | Fake clearance letter arrives; engagement proceeds. But "processing charges" demanded; refunds delayed to Feb 25, then March. | Smaller follow-ups; total hits 187. |
| **The Ghosting** | Post-Dec 2024-Mar 26, 2025 | Communication peters out after son's June wedding. Victim, post-month-long medical treatment, files complaint on Nov 11, 2025. | Zero – scam ends in silence. |
Through it all, daily Skype check-ins kept her tethered: "This person, Pradeep Singh, was in touch daily. I was told that money will be returned by February 25 after completion of all procedures." The scammers' tech-savvy – spoofed numbers, deepfakes, and data hacks – made escape feel impossible. "In total, through 187 transactions, I stand deprived of a total amount of approximately Rs 31.83 crore, which were deposited by me," she stated in her FIR, a stark ledger of betrayal.
## The Human Toll: Beyond the Bank Balance
This wasn't a quick con; it was a slow bleed. Confined to her home, the woman – a pillar for her family – watched her health crumble under the weight of fabricated guilt. A month in the hospital for stress-induced ailments, endless nights of dread, and the agony of silence to shield her son's joy. "Criminals were watching her home," the fraudsters lied, amplifying paranoia. Now, post-complaint, she's urging a full probe, but recovery? That's a marathon in a market where cyber refunds are rarer than unicorns.
Experts call it "the perfect storm": Educated victims like her are targeted precisely because they're less likely to suspect – until it's too late. Bengaluru police logs show digital arrests surging 300% in 2025, with Karnataka alone clocking Rs 1,000+ crore in losses.
## Police Probe: A Case Registered, But Shadows Linger
The Indiranagar police station swung into action on November 11, registering a case under relevant IPC and IT Act sections for cheating, criminal intimidation, and identity theft. Early leads point to a transnational syndicate, possibly out of Southeast Asia or the UAE, using mule accounts traced to Delhi and Mumbai. No arrests yet, but cyber sleuths are dissecting transaction trails and Skype logs. "We're coordinating with national agencies," a senior officer hinted, echoing I4C's warnings on these "ghost arrests."
This busts the myth of quick justice; tracing laundered funds across borders is Sisyphean, with victims recovering pennies on the rupee.
## Social Media Storm: Outrage, Memes, and Urgent Warnings
X erupted with a mix of fury and finger-wagging. Posts from @republic and @TimesNow racked up thousands of views, with users decrying "How does a techie fall for this?!" One viral thread: "187 transfers? That's not a scam, that's a subscription to hell." Memes of "Skype CBI" flooded feeds, but beneath the banter, calls for awareness: "Verify before you transfer – even if it's 'CBI' on the line." Hashtags like #DigitalArrestScam trended locally, amplifying the victim's plea for systemic fixes.
## Stay Safe: Your Anti-Scam Shield in the Digital Wild
Don't let this be your story. Here's the playbook:
- **Red Flags First**: Unsolicited calls about "arrests" or parcels? Hang up and dial 1930 (cyber helpline) or CBI directly.
- **Tech Armor**: Use call blockers, avoid sharing OTPs/Aadhaar on video, and enable bank alerts for every transaction.
- **Family Firewall**: Designate a "panic check" buddy – if something feels off, loop them in.
- **Report Ruthlessly**: Platforms like cybercrime.gov.in are your first stop; delays only empower crooks.
Push for change: Demand mandatory two-factor verifications for high-value transfers and AI-driven fraud alerts from banks.
## Final Wake-Up: When Trust Becomes the Thief's Best Tool
The Bengaluru techie's odyssey isn't just a Rs 32 crore heist – it's a gut-punch to faith in our hyper-connected world. As she rebuilds from the rubble, her resolve shines: "I urge authorities to investigate fully." In a city of innovators, this scam flips the script – reminding us that the real hacks prey on hearts, not just hard drives.
Have you dodged a digital trap? Or spotted scam signs? Share below – let's crowdsource safety. Stay vigilant; the next call could be the con.
*Sources: Times of India, The Week, Deccan Herald, and X reactions.*
