A shocking case of cybercrime has come to light in Gurugram, where a woman fell victim to a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, losing her life savings of ₹58.5 million (USD 663,000). The victim, identified as Anjali (name changed), was coerced by fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials into transferring her money under threats of imprisonment and harm to her family.
The scam began with a call in September 2024, claiming a drug parcel linked to her name had been seized by Mumbai customs. Over five days, scammers kept her under 24/7 surveillance via Skype, terrorizing her until she liquidated her assets and transferred the funds.
Anjali says her ordeal was compounded by banking failures. Despite transferring sums 200 times larger than her normal transactions, HDFC Bank processed the payments without alerts or intervention. ICICI Bank later allowed the funds to pass through a mule account without freezing it. Within minutes, the money was routed into 11 fictitious or vulnerable accounts at Sree Padmavathi Cooperative Bank in Hyderabad, most of which police later traced to fraudulent setups.
While one cooperative bank director has been arrested, Anjali has so far recovered only ₹10 million of the ₹58.5 million she lost. Her petitions to HDFC and ICICI were rejected by the banking ombudsman, citing a rule that places liability on customers if the fraud is deemed their mistake.
Experts argue that Indian banks failed in their duty of care by not flagging suspicious transactions or monitoring mule accounts. Lawyer Mahendra Limaye, representing several victims, called this “abetting financial suicide,” stressing the urgent need for systemic reforms.
Globally, the question of liability is shifting. The U.K. recently introduced rules requiring banks to reimburse fraud victims in many cases. Victims in India, however, continue to face long legal battles.
To add to her distress, Anjali says she is being taxed on her stolen money as “capital gains” from redeemed investments. She has appealed for relief, calling it a cruel burden on top of financial devastation.
Her case, now admitted by India’s top consumer court, will be heard in November. For Anjali and thousands of others duped in similar scams, the outcome could determine whether banks in India will finally be held accountable for lapses that cost customers their livelihoods.