In an amusing turn of events, a scammer trying to pose as a police officer mistakenly video-called the Kerala Police Cyber Cell. The scammer only realized his blunder when the officer revealed his true identity.
The 2-minute video, shared by the Thrissur Police Cyber Cell, shows the scammer dressed in a police uniform and surrounded by a police station setup. The officer initially pretends that the camera is malfunctioning in an attempt to gather information from the scammer. “Where are you?” the scammer asks, and the officer responds, “Oh, my camera is acting up, sir.”
After the scammer instructs the officer to adjust the camera, the officer reveals his identity, catching the scammer off guard. “Yeh chod do bhai,” the officer says with a smile, “We have traced our location.”
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This clever exchange, captured on video, has gone viral. The incident is a part of the growing issue of “digital arrest” scams, where fraudsters impersonate government or law enforcement officials to extort money.
PM Modi’s Three-Step Safety Protocol
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio program Mann Ki Baat, warned citizens about such scams, advising them to stay alert. He outlined a simple three-step safety protocol:
- Stop: Stay calm and avoid giving out personal details immediately.
- Think: Be cautious as legitimate agencies don’t make such inquiries via calls or demand payments.
- Take Action: Report any such incidents to the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930) or cybercrime.gov.in, inform family members, and document evidence.
According to data from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) reported that digital arrest scams accounted for a significant loss of ₹120.3 crore in the first quarter of 2023 alone.
