75-Year-Old Ex-Nurse Loses Rs 48 Lakh Life Savings in Sophisticated Digital Arrest Scam in Andhra Pradesh

Authorities confiscated Rs 32 lakh in cash along with multiple ATM cards, mobile devices, and SIM cards during the district police operation.

A 75-year-old former nurse in Andhra Pradesh became the latest victim of a "digital arrest" scam, losing his entire life savings of Rs 48 lakh after being subjected to extreme psychological manipulation.

Police have apprehended three individuals connected to this sophisticated multi-state cybercrime operation.

The victim's harrowing experience began when he received a video call from criminals impersonating senior officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), who immediately created a fabricated legal emergency situation.

These scammers targeted Repuri Benjamin, an Annamayya district resident, with numerous false accusations, including claims that his PAN card had been misused to establish unauthorized bank accounts and that legal proceedings had been initiated against him in Delhi.

The perpetrators alleged that Rs 48 lakh of "hawala money" had been unlawfully deposited into Benjamin's account and demanded immediate repayment to avoid detention.

They further intimidated the victim with additional false allegations, claiming a package containing illegal substances had been sent in his name and that his Aadhaar identification had been exploited to obtain counterfeit passports.

The criminals then placed Benjamin under a fraudulent "digital arrest," forcing him to isolate himself completely while maintaining a continuous video connection.

They strictly prohibited Benjamin from leaving his residence or communicating with anyone, ensuring he remained under extreme pressure and unable to verify these claims or seek assistance.

Through these manipulative tactics, the scammers eventually extracted Rs 48 lakh from the retired healthcare worker.

Annamayya district police recovered Rs 32 lakh in cash, along with numerous ATM cards, mobile phones, and SIM cards utilized in executing this fraud.

Law enforcement subsequently froze an additional Rs 7.65 lakh across various bank accounts belonging to the accused individuals.

Andhra Pradesh's Director General of Police, Harish Kumar Gupta, praised the Annamayya district police for their prompt and efficient response in tracking, apprehending, and dismantling this criminal network.