A woman in Mangaluru has reportedly been defrauded of around ₹42 lakh in a sophisticated online scam, where fraudsters impersonated law enforcement officials under the guise of a “digital arrest.

” The case has been registered at the city’s CEN (Cyber, Economic and Narcotics) Police Station.

According to the complaint, the victim received a call from individuals claiming to be officers from the Colaba Police Station, Mumbai, alleging that a SIM card was issued in her name and connected to criminal activity.

When she said she could not travel to Mumbai, the scammers instructed her to send a written statement through WhatsApp. The woman later received a video call from a person posing as a CBI officer, showing fake identification and citing senior officials from the RBI and Supreme Court to lend credibility. Between October 8 and 17, she transferred ₹42,00,150 into multiple bank accounts under their instructions.

The woman realised she had been duped only when additional money was demanded. She then alerted her family and lodged a police complaint. Police are investigating and tracing the accounts involved, urging the public to exercise caution. Officials emphasised that there is no such thing as a “digital arrest” and that genuine agencies never demand money or personal information over phone calls.