What are the red flags of this scam?

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

What should I do if this happened to me?

End the call immediately — no government agency will arrest you over video • Inform a trusted family member or friend right away • Do not transfer any money under any circumstances • Do not share Aadhaar, PAN, bank details, or OTPs • 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. • Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

CRITICAL digital arrest Share

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

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
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
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
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
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
Fake I4C/IB letter (June 2026): email or WhatsApp message bearing official I4C or Intelligence Bureau logo and fake reference numbers falsely accuses recipient of cybercrime (child pornography, money laundering). Demands written response within 24 hours or arrest. PIB debunked June 28, 2026. No government agency sends legal notices via messaging apps.

Last seen: 6/30/2026
Landline/telecom disconnection entry (July 2026): first call claims the victim's landline or broadband will be disconnected within 2 hours for involvement in criminal activities. Pressing a key 'transfers' you to a fake TRAI officer, then a fake police inspector who shows video 'evidence.' Bengaluru couple defrauded ₹3.17 crore over 3 months (July 2, 2026).

Last seen: 7/4/2026
India-based BPO call factory (July 2026): 119 callers at Lucknow's 'Solaris Solutions' impersonated Amazon/Microsoft/Apple/Netflix support, then escalated to FBI/FTC/US Marshals to threaten US victims with arrest unless they wired savings. 103 laptops, 177 phones seized; ₹200 crore fraud. Amazon and Microsoft tips triggered the raid.

Last seen: 7/5/2026

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Known variants

Sources