A 76-year-old retired government doctor from Madhura Nagar died of cardiac arrest after allegedly being duped of ₹6.6 lakh in a ‘digital arrest’ scam, in which cyber fraudsters posed as law enforcement officials and held her under virtual confinement for nearly 70 hours.
The scam unfolded on September 5 when the victim received a call from individuals claiming to be Bengaluru police officers. They accused her of involvement in serious crimes, including human trafficking, and presented fabricated documents purportedly from the Supreme Court, Reserve Bank of India and Enforcement Directorate. Using intimidation and threats, they coerced her into transferring money to a fraudulent account.
The prolonged harassment reportedly left her distressed, and she collapsed at her Madhura Nagar residence with severe chest pain. Despite being rushed to hospital, she could not be saved.
“The family suspects that she died due to excessive stress caused by the fraud,” an official from the cyber crimes wing of the Hyderabad police said. Following a complaint lodged by her son, the police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
Published – September 18, 2025 04:36 pm IST
