An elderly woman arrived at the Bank of Baroda’s Sabarmati branch on Thursday, visibly terrified as she clutched withdrawal slips seeking to transfer Rs 27 lakh. Her fear immediately alerted staff members, who sensed something was seriously wrong. This incident became the fifth major rescue from a digital arrest scam within a month, each case identified because bank employees noticed the victims’ distressed expressions. The woman had prematurely broken all her fixed deposits—amounting to Rs 27 lakh—and insisted the money be transferred to a suspicious account, raising further alarms among the staff.
Cybercrime Cell Saves Woman After Elaborate WhatsApp Arrest Scam
Bank employee Harshad Parmar, who handles cheque clearances, was the first to intervene. Recognizing the unusual behaviour, he alerted branch manager Dilip Chauhan, who repeatedly attempted to counsel the woman. However, she refused to explain why she urgently needed to move the funds. Sensing imminent fraud, the bank contacted the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Cell for assistance. ACP Hardik Makadia dispatched a team that rushed to the branch, where officers found the woman trembling. Only after being reassured did she break down and reveal the truth: she had been placed under a fabricated “digital arrest” by scammers who had contacted her on WhatsApp.
The fraudsters had constructed an elaborate espionage narrative. They claimed that 21 confidential Army photographs had been sent from her phone to Pakistan and posed as senior officers from the Delhi Anti-Terrorism Squad. Accusing her of involvement in a Rs 50-crore cross-border money-laundering case, they manipulated her into believing she was on the verge of arrest. The psychological intimidation left her terrified and compliant.
Calls Stop Immediately Once Cybercrime Team Intervenes
Even as cyber officials questioned her, calls from the scammer—saved as “Pradeep Lal”—kept flashing on her phone. Once the fraudsters sensed police involvement, all calls and WhatsApp messages abruptly stopped. Realising she was now safe, the woman broke down in tears, grateful for the timely intervention that saved her life savings.
Summary:
An elderly woman in Sabarmati was saved from losing Rs 27 lakh after Bank of Baroda staff detected her distress and alerted the cybercrime cell. Scammers had trapped her in a fake “digital arrest” involving espionage and money-laundering claims. Police intervention stopped the fraudsters’ calls, safeguarding her life savings.
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