Students in debt from online gaming turn to ‘digital arrest' scam
The accused, all in their early twenties, allegedly supplied over 40 bank accounts to cyber fraudsters in exchange for commission, said an officer. 'They were approached by scammers on WhatsApp and agreed to assist in laundering funds after incurring losses in online betting,' said the officer.
Those arrested have been identified as K. Hemanth Reddy, 21, from Anumula in Nalgonda district, M. Yeswanth Reddy, 21, of Kambalapally village, and M. Tharun, 22, a resident of Karkhana, Secunderabad.
Their fraud came to light after a 57-year-old government employee from Dhoolpet received a phone call in January 2025 from someone claiming to be a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The caller falsely accused him of involvement in a ₹2 crore money laundering case, alleging that his Aadhaar number had been used to open a suspicious bank account.
Fake arrest warrants, RBI notices, and Supreme Court authorisations were sent to the victim over WhatsApp. Under pressure, the victim was instructed to disclose his banking details and transfer funds to prove his innocence. Believing he was facing imminent arrest, he ended up transferring ₹6.5 lakh. When communication ceased, he realised he had been conned.
Cybercrime police said the trio's bank accounts were used by the main fraudsters to receive money from victims via RTGS and NEFT transfers. They received a commission for each transaction.
'This type of fraud, known as a 'digital arrest' scam, typically involves fraudsters impersonating police officers and threatening targets with legal action. Video calls featuring people in police uniforms are used to pressure victims into compliance,' said the officer.
Citizens are urged to report cyber fraud by dialling 1930 or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in.
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