Meghalaya police issues advisory on scamsters extorting money in the name of digital arrest

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 31, 2025

The state police on Friday issued an advisory urging the people not to fall prey to scamsters who threaten to make ‘digital arrest/physical arrest’ to extort huge sums of money from the victims.

East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said that several kinds of scams are being reported where scamsters threaten to make ‘digital arrest’ / physical arrest against the victim and in turn extort huge sums of money.

He said some of these scams with common storylines are as follows:

Parcel Interception: Victims receive a call claiming to be from FedEx that a suspicious parcel containing illegal items (such as drugs or weapons) has been intercepted and is linked to their name or address. The scammers then escalate the situation by connecting the victim to the police/CBI/ED/NIA, who threaten arrest unless the victim cooperates.

Family Member Involvement: Scammers may claim that a family member has been arrested or is involved in criminal activity. They often demand immediate financial assistance to secure the release of the family member or to avoid further legal complications.

Aadhaar or Phone Number Misuse: Victims are accused of having their Aadhaar number or phone number misused for illegal activities. The scammers create a narrative that the victim is implicated in crimes like money laundering or human trafficking, pressuring them to pay fines to clear their name.

Explicit Content Allegation: Victims receive calls alleging that their phone number has been used to share explicit content. Scammers may claim that an FIR has been filed against them and demand payment to clear their name and avoid arrest.

Fake Legal Proceedings: In some cases, scammers conduct fake video calls where they impersonate as judges or legal officials, presenting fabricated court documents and Non Bailable Warrant of Arrest. They threaten the victim with legal action and demand payment to avoid arrest or further legal troubles.

Financial Fraud Allegation: Victims are informed that they are under investigation for financial fraud, such as money laundering or tax evasion by showing the victim his own AADHAR card (which has been compromised by the victim himself). The scammers use intimidation tactics, claiming that failure to cooperate will result in immediate arrest.

“Public are requested to be cautious while receiving unknown numbers and to not divulge any private or banking information. For those whose bank details have been compromised they may call 1930 immediately or submit their complaint at cybercrime.gov.in or at sancharsaathi.gov.in,” the SP said.