Rayagada: In a shocking case of cybercrime, a woman doctor posted in Rayagada district has fallen victim to a so-called “digital arrest” scam and was cheated of more than ₹12 lakh by cyber fraudsters.
According to sources, Dr. Mamata Choudhury, Additional District Public Health Officer working in the office of the Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM&PHO), Rayagada, has lodged a formal complaint at the Rayagada police station in this connection.
As per the complaint, Dr. Choudhury received a phone call a few days ago from a person who claimed to be calling from a courier service. The caller alleged that a suspicious parcel linked to her Aadhaar card had been intercepted and that serious charges were registered in her name.
The call was then transferred to another individual posing as a police officer. The fraudster threatened Dr. Choudhury with arrest and instructed her not to step out of her house until the “verification process” was completed, a tactic commonly referred to as “digital arrest.”
Under continuous intimidation and psychological pressure, the fraudsters warned her of severe consequences if she failed to cooperate. Over the next two days, Dr. Choudhury was coerced into transferring money, ultimately losing more than ₹12 lakh to the cybercriminals.
Following her complaint, Rayagada police along with the cyber cell have launched an investigation into the incident. Rayagada IIC Prasanna Kumar Behera confirmed that a case has been registered and further inquiry is underway to trace the culprits.
Police have once again urged citizens to remain vigilant against such cyber frauds and cautioned that no police agency conducts arrests or investigations over phone or video calls.
