“Digital arrest” scam: how fake police video calls work

The call says a parcel in your name was caught with drugs, or your Aadhaar was used to open a bank account for money laundering. You're passed to a "police officer", "CBI officer" or "customs official" on a video call. Then you're told you are under "digital arrest": keep the camera on, don't hang up, don't tell anyone, and transfer money to "verify" your accounts.

It's a scam, every time. Indian law has no such thing as a digital arrest, and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has warned that CBI, police, customs, ED or judges do not arrest anyone on a video call.

How the scam works

1. The hook. A call, SMS or WhatsApp message about a parcel, a SIM card, your Aadhaar or a bank account linked to a crime.
2. The "officer". You're moved to a video call with someone in uniform, often in front of a fake police-station backdrop, showing ID cards, FIRs or even forged court orders.
3. The trap. You're told you're under "digital arrest": stay on camera, stay in the room, tell no one. Some victims are kept on calls for hours or days.
4. The payment. To "clear your name" you must move money to a "safe" or "verification" account, with a promise it will be returned. It never is.

How big it is

According to I4C figures reported in the press, digital-arrest complaints peaked in 2024 at about 1.24 lakh, with losses of roughly ₹1,900 crore. Complaints have fallen since as awareness has spread, but single cases still cost victims lakhs or crores, and elderly people are frequent targets. The Supreme Court has asked the government to make it a standalone offence.

Where AI comes in

Most of these calls use real people in fake uniforms, real-looking props and scripts. Some scammers now add cloned voices or deepfake video to impersonate officials or even family members. Either way, the giveaway isn't the picture quality. It's the demand: no real officer arrests you on a video call or asks you to transfer money to prove your innocence.

The warning signs

• Anyone says you're being arrested or investigated over a phone or video call.
• You're told to keep the call secret, not to hang up, or not to contact family or a lawyer.
• You're asked to transfer money, share an OTP, or install an app (often one that shares your screen).
• Documents arrive on WhatsApp: FIRs, arrest warrants, court orders, "RBI" letters.
• There's constant pressure and threats if you hesitate.

What to do

1. Hang up. You're allowed to. Real agencies send written notices and ask you to appear in person.
2. Call back yourself using a number from the agency's official website, or walk into your local police station.
3. Never transfer money or share an OTP, whatever they threaten.
4. Report it immediately at cybercrime.gov.in or by calling 1930. The sooner you report, the better the chance your bank can freeze the money.
5. Warn your family, especially parents and grandparents. A two-minute conversation is the best protection there is.

Can a video checker help?

Sometimes scammers send a video "of the officer" or a recorded "statement" as proof. You can check it here for signs that it was AI-made. But be clear about what that tells you: a real person in a fake uniform is still a scam, and our check would correctly call that video real. The rule that always works is simpler: no one gets arrested on a video call.

Share this with someone who'd pick up that call. Then check the voice-cloning scam guide for the "family emergency" version of the same trick.