New Delhi. India's Cyber ​​Crime Coordination Center issued a public advisory regarding the increasing cases of 'digital arrest' crimes in India. In this advisory, the panel said that law enforcement agencies like CBI, Police, Customs, ED, or Court do not make arrests through video calls and warned people against falling prey to these conspiracies. The advisory included people on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Skype. The central government said that such scams are often carried out through these platforms.

The advisory issued by the central government said, "Don't panic, be alert. CBI/Police/Customs/ED/Judges do not arrest you on video calls." WhatsApp and Skype had earlier said that they are collaborating with government cyber security agencies to enhance the security of users. In this advisory, people were also appealed to report such crimes on helpline number 1930 or visit the cybercrime website.

Many people are victims of fraud.
It is worth noting that last month, a senior official of the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) was duped of Rs 55 lakh in a 'digital arrest' case. Three people have been arrested in this case. On September 9, a 35-year-old woman was duped by a person claiming to be an officer of Terminal 2 of Mumbai International Airport. The fraudster claimed that an arrest warrant had been issued against him by the Mumbai Police.

What is digital arrest and how does it happen?
For those unaware, 'digital arrest' is a cybercrime technique where fraudsters send SMS messages or make video calls to a person. They pretend to be officers from government investigative agencies. In such cases, fraudsters falsely claim that the person or their family member is involved in criminal activities such as drug trafficking or money laundering and hence they were being arrested over a video call. The cybercriminals then force the victim to remain confined to their premises, instructing them to keep their mobile phone camera on as part of the 'digital arrest'. They then demand money via online transfer to release the victim.