Anjali* never imagined answering a phone call would cost her everything — ₹58.5 million ($663,390) to be exact. But over five terrifying days in September 2024, the Gurugram resident became a victim of a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, where cybercriminals impersonated law enforcement officers, kept her under 24/7 video surveillance, and coerced her into draining her savings, reports BBC.
The scam — involving threats of prison and harm to her son — ended with her finances wiped out. But a year later, Anjali’s battle has shifted to another front: the banks she believes failed her.
She alleges that despite transferring multi-million rupee sums from her HDFC Bank account — 200 times higher than her typical withdrawals — no alerts were triggered, no red flags raised. She questions why her premium banking status didn’t merit even a single verification call.
“If a ₹50,000 credit card purchase triggers a call, why not ₹30 million from a savings account?” she asks.
HDFC Bank denied wrongdoing, citing delayed fraud reporting and authorized transactions. The banking ombudsman backed the bank, referencing a 2017 rule that places liability on the customer if fraud occurs due to their own actions — even under duress.
Tracing the stolen funds, Anjali discovered they passed through ICICI Bank into an account with minimal previous balance. The money quickly dispersed into 11 accounts at Sree Padmavathi Cooperative Bank in Hyderabad — many with fictitious addresses and unaware account holders.
Police say the accounts were part of a money mule network allegedly set up by the cooperative bank's former director, now in custody. Yet, despite arrests and traced transactions, Anjali has recovered only ₹10 million of the ₹58.5 million she lost.
She is now petitioning India’s top consumer court, alongside other victims, accusing banks of “deficiency in service” and demanding systemic reform. The next hearing is scheduled for November.
To make matters worse, she is also being taxed on investments liquidated during the scam — despite never benefiting from the proceeds.
“There’s no recognition of fraud-related losses by the tax department. It adds insult to injury,” she says.
As “digital arrest” scams surge — with official cases tripling to 123,000 between 2022 and 2024 — Anjali’s case highlights urgent questions: Are Indian banks truly equipped to protect customers in the digital age? And when fraud happens, who should bear the cost?
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
