Lucknow | Lucknow Police averted a major cyber fraud worth ₹1.5 crore and rescued a 75-year-old widow who was held under so-called “digital arrest” by cyber criminals impersonating central investigating agency officials.
The victim, identified as Usha Shukla, a resident of Lucknow, was targeted between December 11 and December 15 by fraudsters posing as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The scammers contacted her repeatedly through WhatsApp video calls, falsely accusing her of being linked to a large-scale money laundering and terror funding network operating across Delhi and Kashmir.
According to police, the cyber criminals claimed that the Aadhaar card and mobile number of her late husband — a former Public Works Department (PWD) employee who passed away eight years ago — had been misused in a ₹50 crore terror funding case. Terrified by the allegations, the elderly woman believed the callers to be genuine officials.
To make their story appear credible, the fraudsters showed video visuals of individuals in uniform seated inside office-like setups. They instructed the woman not to leave her house, not to contact family members, and to strictly follow their directions, effectively placing her under “digital arrest”.
During this period, the scammers obtained her Aadhaar details, bank documents and other confidential papers. They coerced her into prematurely breaking her fixed deposits and transferring money through RTGS to accounts provided by them.
The fraud was prevented due to timely intervention by alert bank officials and the police. When the woman visited a Punjab National Bank branch to break a fixed deposit worth ₹1.21 crore on the fraudsters’ instructions, bank staff became suspicious due to the unusually large transaction. The branch manager immediately informed the police and froze her bank accounts. Alerts were also sent to other banks where she held accounts to block any unauthorised transfers.
Acting on the information received on December 15, Lucknow Police swiftly reached the woman’s residence while she was still on a video call with the scammers.
DCP (East) Shashank Singh said the woman had been receiving repeated WhatsApp video and phone calls from unknown persons impersonating CBI officials. SHO Vikas Nagar, AK Singh, said the police spoke to the callers directly and realised they were cyber criminals.
“The woman was shocked when we told her the truth, as she firmly believed the men on the screen were real officers. They had been speaking to her continuously for days,” the SHO said.
The police counselled the elderly woman and assured her of her safety, thereby preventing the loss of her life’s savings.
Police officials have once again urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain vigilant against such cyber frauds. Incidents involving “digital arrest” scams have been on the rise, with fraudsters exploiting fear by impersonating law enforcement and investigative agencies. Authorities have advised people to immediately contact local police or cyber helplines if they receive such suspicious calls.
