Man Duped of ₹10 Lakh by Fraudsters Impersonating UP ATS Officers in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam

New Delhi: In a startling case of cyber fraud, a 32-year-old man from Karol Bagh was allegedly cheated of ₹10 lakh by unidentified persons posing as officers of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS). The Delhi Police said on Monday that the accused “digitally arrested” the victim, falsely accusing him of involvement in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

According to the police, the fraudsters contacted the victim on August 13 through multiple unknown phone numbers, claiming that his name had surfaced in financial transactions linked to terrorism. They alleged that ₹50 lakh had been deposited into a bank account in Kashmir opened under his name and linked to his identification and mobile number.

The callers, posing as ATS officials, instructed the victim to maintain strict secrecy, warning him that “influential people” were involved. During a video call, the suspects appeared in police uniforms with ATS insignia in the background. They directed the man to switch on his camera, lock himself in a room, and refrain from speaking to anyone. Under the guise of interrogation, they obtained his bank details and connected him to an individual claiming to be the “ATS chief.”

A senior police officer said the impersonator, posing as the UP ATS chief, threatened the victim with arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) unless he transferred funds to what was described as an “RBI-approved” account. “The accused even sent him a forged RBI letter to make the claim appear legitimate,” the officer added.

Fearing arrest, the victim transferred ₹8.9 lakh from one of his accounts and sent the remaining amount through Paytm. The fraudsters later demanded an additional ₹4 lakh for his “bail,” but disconnected the call when he refused to pay further.

The victim lodged a complaint through the cybercrime portal, and the case was subsequently forwarded to the Karol Bagh police station. An FIR was registered on October 14, and an investigation is currently underway to identify and trace the culprits.

Authorities have cautioned the public to remain vigilant against such scams, warning that cybercriminals are increasingly using official insignia, forged documents, and video calls to impersonate government agencies and extort money under false pretenses.