As reports of digital scams rise, a new image of a suspect has come to light, depicting an individual in a police-style shirt paired with casual pyjamas.
The photo was released as part of an investigation into a digital scam operation, which was uncovered following a sting operation. This operation was initiated when fraudsters reached out to a journalist, falsely alleging that a package in his name containing illegal drugs had been intercepted, in an attempt to extort money from him.
The image was provided by a victim residing in Cambodia and shared by the Cybercrime Coordination Centre, which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This investigation revealed international connections to the scam network, with evidence of digital footprints traced back to Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Financial transactions linked to the scams were found to be funneled through Cambodia and Dubai, implicating Indian workers in the orchestration of these cross-border schemes.
Authorities are also monitoring hotels in Cambodia that have been repurposed from Chinese casinos into call centres. One of the images disclosed the GPS coordinates of the scam’s operational hub, along with a flowchart illustrating connections to several locations in Cambodia and Myanmar.
The sting operation highlighted how scammers targeted Indian jobseekers with fraudulent job offers, ultimately trapping them as “digital slaves” involved in illegal activities.
In response to the growing threat of digital scams, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has established a high-level committee to investigate these cases. This initiative involves collaboration with police across all states and union territories to enhance awareness and response.
So far this year, over 6,000 complaints related to digital scams have been filed, leading to the blocking of around 600,000 mobile numbers associated with these activities. Additionally, 709 mobile applications have been disabled, and authorities have frozen approximately 325,000 fake bank accounts linked to cyber fraud.
Understanding Digital Arrest
Digital arrest is a contemporary form of cyber fraud in which scammers impersonate law enforcement officials, using audio or video calls to threaten victims and falsely claim to detain them. Recently, the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) published a report outlining various methods employed by fraudsters, including digital arrest schemes that aim to steal money and sensitive personal information from unsuspecting individuals.
