Lucknow Cyber Fraud: 85-Year-Old Kept Under ‘Digital Arrest’ for 27 Days, Duped of INR 84.5 Lakh by Fake Police, ATS Officials
In a harrowing case of cybercrime, an 85-year-old retired official in Lucknow was allegedly defrauded of ₹84.5 lakh after being kept under a "digital arrest" for nearly a month. The victim, Badruddin Ansari, a resident of Janakipuram Sector-G, was coerced into transferring his life savings by scammers posing as high-ranking police and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officers.
In a harrowing case of cybercrime, an 85-year-old retired official in Lucknow was allegedly defrauded of ₹84.5 lakh after being kept under a "digital arrest" for nearly a month. The victim, Badruddin Ansari, a resident of Janakipuram Sector-G, was coerced into transferring his life savings by scammers posing as high-ranking police and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officers. The ordeal began on March 7, when Ansari received a call from an individual claiming to be a senior inspector from the Lucknow police headquarters. The fraudster alleged that Ansari’s name was linked to a high-profile money laundering case in Pune, Maharashtra, involving a fraudulent HDFC Bank account. Digital Arrest Scam: CBI Arrests 3 Including Ex-Bank Official in INR 1.6 Crore Cyber Fraud Case.
To establish credibility, the scammers sent forged documents via WhatsApp and Signal, featuring the official logos of the Supreme Court, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Over the next 27 days, multiple individuals posing as ATS officials maintained constant video and voice contact, preventing Ansari from speaking to his family or seeking legal advice. Under intense psychological pressure and the threat of immediate imprisonment, Ansari transferred a total of ₹84.5 lakh to various bank accounts between March 11 and April 4. Deeply traumatized, he only approached the authorities three weeks after the final transaction. Digital Arrest Fraud: Goa Police Arrest Maharashtra Man Posing As Mumbai Crime Branch Officer in INR 61.84 Lakh Case.
The Lucknow Cyber Cell has registered an FIR and managed to freeze ₹27 lakh across several linked accounts. Inspector Brijesh Yadav stated that technical teams are currently tracing the digital trail. Police have reiterated that no government agency conducts interrogations or arrests via video calls, urging the public to remain vigilant against such intimidation tactics.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2026 10:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).