An elderly couple in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam, losing ₹1.43 crore after scammers impersonated police officers and manipulated them into transferring funds under false criminal allegations. The case highlights a growing trend of ‘digital arrest’ scams targeting seniors across India.
An elderly couple in Machilipatnam, in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district, has lost ₹1.43 crore after cyber fraudsters allegedly posed as Delhi Police officers and threatened them with arrest in a fabricated money-laundering probe. Police said the scammers used WhatsApp video calls to tell the couple their bank account had been tied to a card linked with a ₹587-crore laundering case, a claim designed to make the threat appear urgent and credible.
According to police, the fraudsters then instructed the pair to move money into accounts they nominated, warning that arrest warrants had already been issued. Believing they were dealing with law enforcement, the couple transferred the funds in three instalments from three separate bank accounts between July 10 and July 29. The deception only began to unravel when the scammers reportedly demanded another ₹95 lakh and told the couple to mortgage their gold and silver ornaments to raise the cash.
After speaking with an acquaintance, the couple realised they had been cheated and filed a complaint. Police have registered a case and opened an investigation to trace those behind the fraud.
The case fits a wider pattern of so-called “digital arrest” scams that have targeted older victims across India, often through impersonation, psychological pressure and false claims of criminal inquiries. In one recent Delhi case reported by local media, an elderly NRI couple said they lost ₹14 crore after fraudsters posed as regulatory officials and kept them under intense pressure for days. In another, an elderly doctor couple in Delhi was allegedly tricked out of about ₹15 crore after scammers even set up a fake Supreme Court bench, underscoring how elaborate these operations have become.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
