Digital Arrest Scam — Safety Checklist

"Digital arrest" is not a real legal procedure in India. No agency holds anyone on a video call. Use the checks below if you receive such a call.

Stop signs — hang up if you hear any of these

• Caller claims to be from CBI / Police / Customs / Narcotics / TRAI / Court and says you are under "digital arrest".
• You are told to stay on a video call and not speak to family.
• You are asked to transfer money to a "RBI account" / "verification account" / "safe account".
• The caller threatens arrest within hours, freezing of accounts, or public scandal.
• You are asked to install AnyDesk / TeamViewer / RustDesk or any screen-share app.

Five checks to apply, calmly

• Ask for the caller's name, designation, posting, and a callable office number. Real officers give them.
• Hang up. Call the official switchboard of that agency (search the agency's official .gov.in or .nic.in site, not the number the caller gave you).
• Check on cybercrime.gov.in if the modus operandi matches an active alert.
• Inform one family member on a separate phone line.
• If pressured, dial 1930 (Cyber Helpline) or 112.

What to refuse

• Any money transfer "for verification".
• Any screen-share or remote-access app install.
• Sharing OTP, CVV, or net-banking password.
• Recording yourself / undressing on the call (sextortion variant).

If you are caught mid-call — say this

Numbers to keep handy