AHMEDABAD: A cyber fraud gang impersonating Mumbai Crime Branch officers digitally arrested an NRI youth in Australia, kept him under virtual surveillance for a month, and siphoned off Rs 48 lakh from his bank accounts in Australia and Ahmedabad.
Cybercrime has taken a darker and more aggressive form, with its latest victim being an Indian youth settled in Australia. The victim’s family resides in the Naranpura area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. His elderly father has two sons, one based in Adelaide and the younger in Sydney. The ordeal began on August 26, 2025, when the Sydney-based son received a WhatsApp call from an Indian number. The caller introduced himself as a Mumbai Crime Branch officer, but within minutes the conversation turned threatening.
The caller alleged that crores of rupees in suspicious transactions linked to anti-national activities had been traced to the youth’s mobile number and bank accounts. The victim was warned that non-cooperation would result in his arrest in Australia through coordination with local police or detention upon arrival in India.
What followed was a textbook case of “digital arrest.” The youth was placed under round-the-clock virtual surveillance through video calls, ordered to remain constantly in front of the camera, barred from meeting or speaking to anyone, and subjected to psychological isolation. Each instruction was reinforced with threats of arrest, tightening control with every passing day.
To further entrench their grip, the gang forced the youth to buy a new mobile phone and SIM card in Sydney. They then obtained the IP addresses of his phone and laptop, effectively hijacking his digital life. Under the guise of an ongoing investigation, they extracted complete banking details and siphoned off 25,000 Australian dollars, around Rs 14 lakh, from his Australian bank account.
The fraud soon extended to India. The gang broke a fixed deposit of Rs 34 lakh held in the youth’s bank account in Ahmedabad and transferred the entire amount to accounts controlled by the cybercriminals. Throughout the ordeal, the youth was repeatedly assured that the money was merely being “secured” and would be returned after the probe, a lie crafted to ensure compliance.
After nearly a month of mental captivity, the deception finally unravelled. The youth approached the Cyber Security Department in Australia. Around the same time, his father in Ahmedabad noticed suspicious transactions in the local bank account. A bank inquiry confirmed the transfer of Rs 34 lakh, prompting him to file a formal complaint with the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch.
Police officials say the case is unprecedented, and investigators believe it may be the first known instance of cybercriminals digitally arresting an Indian citizen living abroad and extorting money by exploiting fear of jurisdiction and impersonating authorities.
As the investigation expands, authorities warn that cyber fraud has crossed borders and evolved beyond conventional scams. For Indians living overseas, the message is stark: cybercrime no longer knocks—it storms in, armed with fear, fake authority and complete digital control.