By Dr. Saket Dinkar | News Editor
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday expressed grave concern over the rising number of “digital arrest” scams, noting that fraudsters have cheated unsuspecting victims — particularly senior citizens — of more than ₹3,000 crore across India.
A Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, who is the Chief Justice-designate of India, made the observation while examining a confidential report submitted by the Union Government. The report highlighted that the scale and sophistication of such cybercrimes have become a “very big challenge” for law enforcement agencies.
Justice Kant remarked that the findings were “much more serious than what we had imagined,” urging authorities to take stronger preventive and awareness measures.
In “digital arrest” scams, cybercriminals impersonate law enforcement officers or government officials to intimidate victims into believing they are involved in illegal activities. The victims are then coerced into transferring money or sharing sensitive information to avoid supposed legal action.
The Court emphasized the urgent need for coordinated efforts between central and state agencies, increased public awareness, and stricter monitoring of digital communication platforms to curb the growing menace.
