‘Atmosphere of fear…record’: What PM Narendra Modi said about ‘digital arrest’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned the nation on Sunday against the ‘digital arrest’ fraud, saying no government agencies threaten people over the phone and demand money.

Addressing the nation in the 115th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi explained the modus operandi of those involved in defrauding people employing the ‘digital arrest’ method.

, “…Under digital arrest fraud, callers portray themselves as police, CBI, RBI or narcotics officials, and they confidently talk. People asked me to talk about this in Mann Ki Baat. You need to understand this. The first step is your personal information.

They collect all your personal information. 2nd Step is the atmosphere of fear. They will scare you so much that you won’t even be able to think. Step 3- The time pressure…Victims of digital arrest are from all sections and ages. Many people have lost lakhs of their hard-earned money. If you ever get a call like this, don’t be afraid. You should know that no investigating agency does such an interrogation over the phone or video call,” PM Modi said in the radio show.

He asked the masses to record such attempts.

“There are 3 steps of digital security- stop, think, and take action. If possible, take a screenshot and do the recording. No government agencies give such threats over the phone nor do they demand money,” he added, reported ANI.

Modi asked people to dial 1930 to connect with the national cyber helpline. He said such attempts should also be reported to the police.

The so-called digital arrests have lately emerged as a menace across India.

Last month, Vardhman Group chairman SP Oswal was duped by cyber criminals into transferring ₹7 crore to their bank accounts after he was taken into “digital custody”.

The fraudsters posed as CBI officials. They kept him under “digital surveillance for two days via Skype” as a “suspect in a money-laundering case”.

The fraudsters “impersonated Chief Justice of India Justice D Y Chandrachud”, “held a fake Supreme Court hearing via Skype” and cited the money-laundering investigation against Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal.