Rs 58-Crore Digital Arrest Scam: International Money Trail Links to China, Hong Kong and Indonesia

Authorities have discovered international connections in Mumbai's Rs 58 crore digital arrest scam, with Maharashtra Cyber Police tracking financial flows to Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia.

The scam was revealed when a 72-year-old businessman from Mumbai filed a complaint stating that he had received a call from scammers impersonating Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI officials. The fraudsters accused him of criminal involvement and insisted he "cooperate with the investigation."

During a video call lasting several hours, the victim was intimidated and manipulated into transferring funds. By the call's conclusion, an enormous sum of Rs 58 crore had been extracted from his account.

Officials reported that the entire amount stolen through the scam was moved out of the country using cryptocurrency transactions.

The Maharashtra Cyber Police investigation has determined that this case is not isolated but part of an international criminal network that has been defrauding people across India for the past year. Investigators believe this case connects to a broader network of online fraud operations valued at approximately Rs 2,000 crore.

According to officials, the scam was operated by a group using commission-based bank accounts, typically controlled by accomplices, which served as collection points.

In each fraudulent digital arrest scenario, victims were instructed to make online payments, which would first land in Indian bank accounts before being rapidly converted to cryptocurrency and directed to foreign wallets, enabling the criminals to move the funds out of India almost instantly.

"This entire network was active for over a year. Tracking the money trail is difficult because crypto was immediately moved between multiple wallets after each transaction," officials explained.

Many of the IP addresses and exchange information uncovered thus far in the investigation of digital transactions have been connected to China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.

Mumbai Cyber Police have identified several bank accounts and digital wallets in this case, and the process of requesting account data from foreign agencies has now commenced.

To date, 26 individuals have been arrested in connection with the digital arrest scam, and numerous "mule" bank accounts used to channel the stolen money have been frozen. Investigators report these accounts were created using fake identities and operated on commission to facilitate the quick transfer of funds abroad.

These findings have triggered concerns about the increasing use of digital platforms and virtual currencies in large-scale cybercrime operations targeting Indian citizens.