In the latest episode of ‘MannKiBaat’ on Sunday, PM Narendra Modi awakened the society to the menace of defrauding people by threatening them with ‘Digital Arrest’.
PM Modi laid out measures to prevent such fraud and reminded citizens that no government agency conducts investigations via phone or video calls. To nip this evil in the bud, the PM invoked the mantra of ‘Ruko, Socho Aur Action Lo’ and appealed to report authorities immediately through the helpline number 1930 or on https://cybercrime.gov.in.
“The modus operandi of these fraudsters is to pose as police, CBI, anti-narcotics or RBI officers and threaten unsuspecting citizens over a video call. Modi Ji laid out the measures to be taken by citizens to prevent such frauds, reminding them that no govt agency conducts investigations via phone or video calls,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on the X platform.
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Now, with an aim to increase awareness about the Digital Arrest Fraud, HDFC Bank has advised its customers to be cautious against such a fraud.
According to the bank, in a digital arrest scam, fraudsters target individuals or businesses, posing as law enforcement or government officials. Victims are threatened with a digital arrest warrant for alleged tax evasion, regulatory violations or financial misconduct. The fraudsters ask for payment in the form of ‘settlement fee’ or ‘penalty’ to withdraw the digital arrest warrant.
Once the payment is made, the fraudsters disappear, leaving no trace of their identity. The victims are left with a monetary loss and sometimes an identity theft, due to the personal details shared with the fraudsters.
Cautioning on this fraud, Manish Agrawal, Senior Executive Vice President – Credit Intelligence and Control – HDFC Bank, said, “Fraudsters are directly targeting the emotions of the customers. When someone receives a call or message from fraudsters claiming to be law enforcement officers, always confirm their identity by independently contacting the government / law enforcement officials via proper channel. Staying vigilant and being aware of such fraudulent practices plays a very important role in avoiding falling prey to such scams.”
Tips to protect yourself from Digital Arrest Fraud:
* Real government officials or law enforcement agency will never ask for payment or banking details.
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