Digital-arrest scam: what it is and what to do (India)
Last updated: 2026-07-10
A video call from "police", "CBI", "customs", the "cyber cell" or a courier company that says a parcel in your name has drugs, or that you are "under digital arrest" and must pay or stay on camera, is a scam.
There is no legal process called "digital arrest" in India. Genuine investigating agencies do not arrest people over a video call, do not demand money to "clear your name", and do not order you to stay on camera in secret. Do not pay. Do not share any OTP. Do not share your screen. Hang up, and report it.
What to do right now
- End the call. Do not stay on the video call, whatever they threaten.
- Do not transfer any money to a "verification", "safe" or "RBI" account. No real agency asks for this.
- Do not share your OTP, PIN, card details, or your phone screen.
- Tell someone you trust and, if you can, verify independently through official channels — the scam depends on keeping you isolated and panicked.
- Report it at cybercrime.gov.in or by calling 1930.
Red flags: a genuine authority vs the scammer
| What happens | A genuine authority | The scammer |
|---|---|---|
| "Digital arrest" | No such thing exists in Indian law. | Says you are "under digital arrest" and cannot move or hang up. |
| Demand for money | Never asks you to transfer money to prove your innocence. | Demands you move money to a "safe" account for "verification". |
| Secrecy | Does not force you to keep it secret from family or your bank. | Orders you to stay on camera and tell no one. |
| OTP and screen | Never needs your OTP, PIN, or your phone screen. | Asks you to share an OTP or install a screen-sharing app. |
| Pressure | Follows a documented process; gives you time. | Creates non-stop urgency and fear so you cannot think. |
If you already paid or shared details
Act fast — the sooner you report, the better the chance that 1930 and your bank can freeze the money at the receiving account before it is withdrawn. Because you were pressured into paying yourself, a bank may treat it as an authorised transfer, so a refund is not assured — but fast reporting is still your best chance.
- Call 1930 and report the fraud; note the reference number.
- File at cybercrime.gov.in to create the official record.
- Tell your bank at once to flag the transaction as unauthorised and block further debits.
- If you shared your screen or installed any app they asked for, treat your phone as compromised — uninstall that app, turn off the internet, and change your banking passwords and UPI PIN from a different, trusted device.
Beware a second scam: the only ways to report are 1930, cybercrime.gov.in, and your own bank. Anyone who phones or messages offering to recover your lost money for a fee — a "recovery agent", "refund officer", or fake "cyber cell" — is a fresh fraud. Never pay to get your money back.
These scams often use large bank transfers (NEFT / IMPS / RTGS), not only UPI — the same first-hour steps apply: UPI fraud — what to do in the first hour.
Not the same as money leaving on its own
If nobody called or messaged you and money simply left your account, that is an unauthorised transaction, not this scam — follow the first-hour guide and report the debit to your bank as unauthorised.
If the bank does not help
Keep every complaint acknowledgement number. If your bank does not resolve the matter within a reasonable time, you can escalate to the RBI Ombudsman (cms.rbi.org.in) and seek redress through the National Consumer Helpline (1915). All of these are linked below so you can act directly.
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