Staff Reporter
Panaji
A retired woman government employee from North Goa has fallen victim to the ‘digital arrest’ scam, losing a staggering Rs 1 crore. The Goa cyber crime police have arrested 53-year-old Yaramala Venkateswarlu from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, in connection with the case.
Venkateswarlu, a post-graduate in chemistry and a jeweller by profession, was apprehended after a thorough investigation, with the police also freezing a bank account containing Rs 40 lakh linked to the crime.
According to the police, the scam followed a well-established modus operandi. The victim received a fraud call on WhatsApp from someone impersonating a Delhi crime branch police inspector. The caller informed the woman that a money laundering complaint had been filed against her and further sent forged letters purportedly from the Supreme Court of India.
The scammer then persuaded the victim to transfer Rs 1 crore into multiple bank accounts for safekeeping during the investigation, the
police said.
The particular case came to light when the victim lodged a complaint, leading to the filing of an FIR on December 28, last year. Following the money trail, the police identified a layer one bank account in the name of Venkateswarlu, where Rs 40 lakh had been received. This amount has since been frozen as part of the ongoing investigation.
“Through technical surveillance, the accused was traced to Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, where he was arrested by our cybercrime team,” assistant superintendent of police, cyber crime, Akshat Ayush said.
Cautioning the people about such traps, Ayush, said, “We urge everyone to be vigilant when receiving calls from people claiming to be from the police or the Enforcement Directorate. Always verify the details before transferring any money, especially the bank account holder’s name. If in doubt, immediately contact your local police station or the cybercrime police in Ribandar,” he advised during a press briefing.
In 2024, the cyber crime police station registered nine cases which were similar the ‘digital arrest’ scam, according to Ayush.
The investigation in the particular case is ongoing, with police inspector Deepak Pednekar leading the probe into the case.
