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in Robocall / Phone Scam
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal revealed that scammers are using AI voice cloning technology to impersonate executives and request money transfers, with the cloned voices being remarkably convincing. AI voice cloning scams have successfully defrauded victims of thousands to over 100,000 rupees by impersonating family members, law enforcement officials, or government agencies and creating false urgency around arrests or emergencies. The article advises victims to verify caller identity through country code checks (+91 for legitimate Indian officials), direct contact with the person allegedly in distress, and awareness that legitimate officials will not demand immediate money transfers or claim "digital arrests."
twistedsifter.com
· 2025-12-08
A phishing scam targets Microsoft and Gmail users through fraudulent emails claiming to detect unusual login activity. Clicking the malicious link in these emails allows hackers to wipe the user's phone, steal personal information, and commit identity theft. Users can safely verify account activity by logging directly into their email security settings rather than clicking email links.
dailypioneer.com
· 2025-12-08
A "digital arrest" scam is rapidly spreading across India, where fraudsters impersonate police officers and convince victims they face legal charges, demanding money to drop fabricated cases. The scheme exploits fear and confusion by using deepfake technology, fake credentials, and authoritative impersonation to appear legitimate, with Prime Minister Modi issuing a national warning and clarifying that "digital arrest" does not exist under Indian law. Victims are advised to avoid panic, record interactions when possible, and immediately report incidents to cyber helplines and local police, while the government is urged to strengthen cybersecurity efforts and enforcement to combat the growing threat.
theglobeandmail.com
· 2025-12-08
Business impersonation scams were the most reported financial fraud in 2023, affecting approximately 332,000 victims and resulting in over $660 million in losses, according to an FTC report. These scams involve fraudsters impersonating legitimate companies or government agencies to deceive victims into revealing sensitive information, transferring money, or granting system access. Protection strategies include scrutinizing sender email addresses, being wary of urgent-sounding messages, enabling multi-factor authentication, monitoring financial accounts closely, and reporting suspected fraud to the FTC.
wiley.law
· 2025-12-08
This Wiley Consumer Protection newsletter (October 29, 2024) covers three major regulatory developments: the CFPB's final rule implementing Section 1033 requiring financial institutions to share consumer financial data with authorized third parties under privacy standards; the FTC's finalized "click-to-cancel" rule making subscription cancellations as easy as sign-ups and prohibiting deceptive negative option practices; and the CFPB's guidance that employers using third-party background dossiers must comply with Fair Credit Reporting Act protections. These regulatory updates primarily affect financial services providers, subscription businesses, and employers rather than describing specific fraud incidents.
portageonline.com
· 2025-12-08
A senior in Portage la Prairie avoided a "grandparent scam" after receiving a call from someone impersonating her nephew, claiming he had been arrested with marijuana and needed $7,000 bail. The caller, posing as a police officer named "Const. Michael Riley," became suspicious when he refused to allow her to verify his identity at the local detachment, prompting her to hang up and confirm her nephew was actually at a dentist's appointment. The RCMP reports this scam is widespread across Canada and advises anyone receiving similar emergency calls to hang up and contact their local detachment directly to verify, as police never request bail payments by phone.
amac.us
· 2025-12-08
Seniors face heightened vulnerability to scams due to isolation, cognitive decline, and accumulated life savings, making fraud prevention education essential. The article outlines basic protection strategies—including secure passwords, account monitoring, and blocking unknown contacts—and provides detailed guidance on the growing threat of QR code scams, which can direct users to phishing sites or malware by masquerading as legitimate codes. To stay safe, users should only scan QR codes from trusted sources, verify website URLs, avoid codes that appear tampered with, and configure devices to require permission before executing QR code actions.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
A 91-year-old Perth widow was defrauded of $2,000 in September when scammers impersonated her bank, using personal details about her to establish credibility before instructing her to purchase Apple gift cards. The scammers arranged a taxi to transport her to a supermarket, kept her on the phone throughout, and only abandoned the scheme when an Aldi cashier alerted her to the fraud. The victim is speaking publicly about the incident to warn others of the sophistication of these scams and the personal information scammers can access.
ktvb.com
· 2025-12-08
Idaho State Police warned residents of a wave of phone scams in which callers impersonated law enforcement officers and falsely claimed victims needed DNA tests or had arrest warrants, demanding immediate payment via gift cards or money transfers to resolve the alleged violations. In reported cases, scammers left voicemails about missed DNA appointments resulting in arrest warrants and called posing as troopers searching for relatives who supposedly failed mandatory DNA tests. ISP emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never demands payment or threatens arrest over the phone and urged residents to verify suspicious calls directly with ISP.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost an estimated $12.5 billion to online scams in the past year, with the FBI reporting that 39% of victims were targeted through AI-generated "deepfake" videos used in investment schemes, romance scams, and other frauds. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to duplicate voices, create convincing fake videos of business leaders and celebrities, and attempt account breaches, making these crimes harder to detect and recover from, as 96% of reported losses are never recovered. The article recommends using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and watching for telltale signs of deepfakes such as unnatural facial movements, inconsistent lighting, and audio irreg
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Social Security scams target retirees by impersonating government agencies to steal personal information or demand immediate payment under threat of legal action or benefit suspension. Common tactics include creating false urgency, requesting payment via gift cards or wire transfers, and demanding secrecy. Victims should hang up immediately, file reports with the Office of the Inspector General and Social Security Administration (800-269-0271), and contact the three major credit bureaus to place fraud alerts on their accounts.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Businesses lose billions of dollars annually to fraud, with small companies particularly vulnerable to traditional methods like check fraud, social engineering, and wire scams that often go overlooked in favor of focusing on digital security. Check fraud has surged nearly 400% since 2020, while fraudsters increasingly blend old-school techniques with modern technology to manipulate employees into unauthorized transfers or intercept and alter checks. The American Bankers Association is calling for immediate government action, including a dedicated Office of Scam and Fraud Prevention, and recommends businesses protect themselves by regularly monitoring accounts and remaining vigilant against social engineering tactics.
ceotodaymagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybersecurity Awareness Month highlights the critical importance of protecting against cyber threats, which are predicted to cost the global economy over $6 trillion in 2024. The article outlines common scams including phishing, spear phishing, tech support fraud, online shopping scams, investment scams, ransomware, romance scams, and lottery schemes. Key protective measures include educating yourself and others, using strong unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, verifying sender information, and remaining vigilant about unsolicited requests for personal information.
santaclaritamagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article discusses the growing threat of senior scams and identifies common tactics used by scammers, including impersonation, fake charities, sweepstakes/lottery schemes, romance scams, and fraudulent investment offers. The article attributes the rise in senior scams to increased isolation, digital communication channels, and cognitive decline that make elderly individuals more vulnerable to manipulation. To protect seniors, the article emphasizes the importance of community awareness programs, educational campaigns, and open family communication to help elderly individuals recognize and avoid scam tactics.
indystar.com
· 2025-12-08
After her husband's death, Indianapolis widow Rosalie Douglass turned to online dating and was targeted by romance scammers who posed as wealthy professionals; over the course of a year, she wired more than $430,000 to two different scammers, depleting her retirement savings and forcing her to take a reverse mortgage on her home. The FBI reported 88,262 fraud victims over age 60 in 2021, growing to 101,068 in 2023, with romance scams accounting for $1.1 billion in losses nationally in 2023. Experts warn that seniors new to online dating are particularly vulnerable to romance scams and should be alert to requests
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned citizens against a sophisticated "digital arrest" scam in which fraudsters impersonate government officials via video call, falsely accusing victims of serious crimes like money laundering or drug trafficking, then extort large sums under threat of arrest. Two elderly victims from Hyderabad lost substantial amounts—a 79-year-old retired consultant transferred Rs 2 crore and an 85-year-old woman lost Rs 5.9 crore—after scammers used fake official documents and maintained intimidating video surveillance to prevent victims from seeking help. The article advises that legitimate law enforcement never conducts arrests or demands payments via video calls and recommends reporting
dailygalaxy.com
· 2025-12-08
Residents in the Gard department of France and surrounding areas received fraudulent magnets disguised as official "Useful Numbers" guides that actually contained contact information for unscrupulous home repair services. These scammers use high-pressure sales tactics and overpriced services targeting vulnerable individuals, including the elderly—one couple in their 80s was charged 1,463 euros for a simple circuit breaker replacement. To protect themselves, residents should discard suspicious magnets, verify service providers through trusted sources, and report suspicious activity to consumer protection agencies.
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
**Election-Related Scams Targeting Elderly Donors:** Elderly Americans are being targeted in political donation scams using payment apps like Zelle, with one survey finding 50 elderly donors scammed out of $6 million during the 2024 election cycle. The AARP reports that retirees who are victims of scams lose an average of $120,000, and payment processors including Zelle, PayPal, and Cash App are implementing additional safeguards and education campaigns to alert users—particularly those over 50—about fraudulent solicitations from fake political action committees.
newsradio1310.com
· 2025-12-08
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
As the 2024 election approaches, the CEO of Zelle warned elderly Americans to remain on "heightened alert" against scams, noting that older political donors are being targeted with fraudulent solicitations and fake political action committee donations. According to recent reports, approximately 50 elderly political donors were scammed out of $6 million, and AARP data shows retirees lose an average of $120,000 per scam victim, costing financial institutions $1 billion annually. Payment processors like Zelle, PayPal, and Cash App have implemented friction-adding features to prompt users to verify unusual transactions, though experts recommend using these apps only for known contacts.
wvnews.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece warns seniors about utility scams, where fraudsters impersonate utility companies and demand immediate payment under threat of service cutoff. The article advises recipients to hang up immediately, call their utility using the legitimate number on their bill, and report the scam to both the utility and the Federal Trade Commission. It notes that people over 65 lost nearly $1 billion to scams in 2020, with utility scams particularly prevalent in California, Florida, and Texas, making West Virginia seniors especially vulnerable given the state's high elderly population.
seacoastcurrent.com
· 2025-12-08
The article outlines several prevalent scams targeting Mainers, particularly seniors, including fake jury summons demanding payment via gift cards, the "grandparent scam" where callers pose as jailed relatives requesting bail money, online dating scams that build trust before requesting funds, and caller ID spoofing that masks scammers' true identities. Key advice includes never sharing personal information or sending money to strangers, avoiding suspicious links, and warning elderly relatives about these common fraud schemes.
regtechtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Georgia residents—Patrick Dallas, Stacey Robinson, and Owen Demoy Byfield—were charged in federal court for operating a sweepstakes fraud scheme targeting seniors across at least ten states, including Rhode Island, stealing at least $1 million. The fraudsters impersonated Publishers Clearing House representatives, convincing victims they had won large prizes and pressuring them to pay upfront fees via cash, gift cards, or valuable items; one 77-year-old Rhode Island victim nearly lost $163,000 before a FedEx employee's intervention alerted him to the scam. The defendants face charges for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering
ncoa.org
· 2025-12-08
Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, photos, and audio that realistically fabricate or alter someone's likeness, increasingly used by criminals to execute scams targeting older Americans, who lost $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023. Common deepfake scams include investment schemes (such as an 82-year-old losing $690,000 to a fake Elon Musk video), romance scams (with victims in Hong Kong losing over $46 million), political misinformation, extortion/grandparent scams (which generated over $13 million in losses from 2020-2021), and celebrity endorsement frauds. Understanding
blog.ssa.gov
· 2025-12-08
This educational awareness article warns seniors about increased scam activity during fall and identifies common tactics scammers use, such as impersonating trusted agencies, creating false urgency, and demanding specific payment methods. Data shows people ages 70 to 84 report the greatest losses from scams, averaging nearly $12,000, and the article provides red flags to watch for including threats of arrest, demands for gift cards or cryptocurrency, and pressure to keep payments secret.
ncoa.org
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered scams represent an emerging threat to consumers, particularly older adults, utilizing artificial intelligence tools to create highly convincing impersonations and fraudulent messages at scale. Scammers employ four main tactics: voice cloning to impersonate family members or authority figures, deepfake videos to pose as public figures, sophisticated phishing emails that bypass spam filters, and fake websites promoting fraudulent investments. The FBI has warned that as AI technology advances, cybercriminals' ability to execute personalized, authentic-seeming fraud campaigns will continue to increase.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Viraj Patel, a money mule operating in Florida, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for laundering at least $216,000 in proceeds from government-imposter fraud schemes targeting senior citizens. Patel picked up cash and gold from victims who had been deceived by India-based conspirators into believing their identities were compromised, including one victim who was tricked into surrendering $71,000 and later $50,000 in a single scheme. The court ordered Patel to forfeit $145,000 in traceable fraud proceeds.
washingtoninformer.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Justice released its annual report detailing over 300 enforcement actions against more than 700 defendants for elder fraud, abuse, and neglect, resulting in nearly $700 million in recoveries and disruption of major transnational schemes. Key cases included convictions of two Pittsburgh-area nursing homes for falsifying compliance records and an investigation into New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes for constitutional rights violations through inadequate care. The DOJ's broader efforts addressed fraud affecting over 225,000 seniors through romance and impersonation scams, blocked $27 million in fraudulent transfers, and handled over 50,000 calls through its National Elder Fraud Hotline while hosting nearly 1
thesenior.com.au
· 2025-12-08
This educational article advises that scammers increasingly use digital communication (96% of scams) through emails, texts, and social media with sophisticated tactics like fake logos and official-looking addresses to trick people into sharing personal information or money. Key protection strategies include verifying unexpected communications directly with organizations, watching for red flags like spelling errors and urgency tactics, staying informed through Scamwatch, and immediately contacting banks, IDCARE, and cyber.gov.au if victimized.
renfrewtoday.ca
· 2025-12-08
An elderly victim lost nearly $10,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam after a phone caller promised high returns and directed them to deposit money into a cryptocurrency ATM. The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment warns that scammers use fake companies with professional websites and high-pressure sales tactics to fraudulently solicit investments. To protect against such schemes, individuals should be skeptical of unusually high returns, research company legitimacy, never share cryptocurrency wallet credentials, and report suspected fraud to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
wtop.com
· 2025-12-08
Four suspects were arrested in Prince George's County, Maryland on October 25 after scamming a 74-year-old woman out of over $30,000 in a "pigeon drop" scheme, where they posed as people who found money and convinced the victim to deposit funds into an account to avoid tracing. The suspects, with addresses in Alabama and Tennessee, allegedly approached elderly victims alone in parking lots claiming they had found cash and needed help laundering it through the victim's bank account before splitting the proceeds. Police warn that this scam targets seniors with promises of quick financial gain or threats of legal trouble, and urge families to discuss such schemes with elderly relatives.
kcrg.com
· 2025-12-08
The Heritage Area Agency on Aging in Iowa is warning seniors about escalating scam threats, noting that people 60 and older lost $3.4 billion to online fraud in 2023. Common scams targeting seniors include fake delivery notifications via text (posing as UPS or mail carriers), impersonation of family members or romantic partners requesting money, and charity fraud, with scammers increasingly using AI voice technology to sound like loved ones. The agency recommends verifying suspicious requests with family members, being cautious of unsolicited requests for money or personal information, and contacting local law enforcement if targeted by scammers.
ajc.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals increasingly use phishing emails, text messages, and spoofed delivery notifications to steal personal and financial information from victims of all ages during the holiday season and year-round. The Federal Trade Commission advises avoiding urgency-driven scams by verifying sender identities, researching suspicious messages, not clicking unexpected links, never paying for prizes, and hanging up on callers requesting sensitive information like Social Security numbers or banking details. Taking time to verify legitimacy rather than acting on panic is the most effective protection against financial fraud.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
As mortgage interest rates decline, scammers are increasingly targeting homeowners with false promises of mortgage relief, often impersonating the Department of Veterans Affairs or loan servicers and charging illegal upfront fees while pressuring victims to cut contact with legitimate lenders. To avoid these scams, homeowners should contact their mortgage servicer directly, verify any assistance through official government sources (HUD, VA, CFPB), and remember that legitimate mortgage help is never preceded by upfront fees. Suspected mortgage relief scams should be reported to the state attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission.
local.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This article presents educational advice from a Scam Jam event in Richmond, Virginia, where experts from organizations including AARP Virginia and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided seniors with strategies to protect themselves against fraud. Speakers described various scams targeting older Americans, including durable medical equipment fraud, mail theft, identity theft, phishing, and AI-powered impersonation calls, and advised attendees to avoid unsolicited contacts, protect personal information, and use secure mailing practices. The event emphasized that fraudsters use both low-tech methods like mail theft and high-tech tactics like voice manipulation, and stressed that seniors should be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
themirror.com
· 2025-12-08
Since 2015, US Marine Corps officer Kagan Dunlap has been targeted by romance scammers who steal his photos and impersonate him on dating apps, deceiving thousands of women globally into sending money ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The scammers use various tactics including AI voice imitation and elaborate military deployment stories, and some have even contacted his wife, leaving him to repeatedly verify his identity to victims who discover the fraud through reverse image searches.
tokyoreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman in her 50s, a teacher in Fukuoka City, was defrauded of 42 million yen through a romance scam in which a person she met on social media posed as a romantic interest, gained her trust, and then convinced her to invest money through a fraudulent investment site. Police identified this as a "social media romance scam" and noted that Fukuoka Prefecture has experienced over 5.6 billion yen in losses from social media scams as of September, urging the public not to transfer money to unknown persons.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This article covers a "Scam Jam" educational event in Richmond, Virginia organized by AARP Virginia where law enforcement and fraud prevention experts educated about 30 seniors on common scams targeting older adults. Presenters from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol discussed various fraud schemes including mail theft, identity theft, durable medical equipment fraud, and AI-powered impersonation scams, while offering practical protective strategies such as mailing checks directly to post offices and shredding personal documents.
journalnow.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides educational guidance on avoiding romance scams, particularly around Valentine's Day when people are more vulnerable to online dating fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers lost $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2022, with scammers typically cultivating relationships for months before requesting money under false pretenses such as emergencies. Experts recommend moving online relationships slowly, being wary of requests to communicate off dating apps, and recognizing red flags such as requests for money or overly fast relationship progression.
qcountryfm.ca
· 2025-12-08
Two senior citizens in the Portage la Prairie area of Manitoba fell victim to "grandparent scams" in late October 2024, where callers impersonating lawyers claimed their grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money; the victims transferred funds either at their homes or at bank locations. The RCMP warned that similar scams had occurred across Manitoba and advised the public to hang up on such calls, verify claims by contacting family directly, and never provide money to unknown callers, noting that bail cannot be paid in cash or cryptocurrency under Canadian law.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old woman in Singapore lost $290,000 to a scam involving impersonators posing as a Standard Chartered Bank employee and a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) officer, who convinced her to transfer savings under the pretense of investigating unauthorized credit card transactions. Police successfully recovered $250,000 of the transferred funds through anti-scam measures and collaboration between multiple agencies, while a 25-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly selling her banking credentials to the scammers for $600.
wtop.com
· 2025-12-08
Four suspects from Alabama and Tennessee were arrested in Maryland after scamming a 74-year-old woman out of over $30,000 in a "pigeon drop" scam, where they approached her in a parking lot claiming to have found money that needed to be deposited into an account to avoid tracing before being returned to her. The suspects, ranging in age from 36 to 77, may be connected to similar frauds across multiple states, and police emphasize that elderly citizens should be wary of unsolicited interactions involving monetary gain or urgent requests for money or account information.
midhudsonnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Dutchess County Comptroller Gregg Pulver launched an educational "Don't Get Burned By Fraud" series in partnership with the County District Attorney and Sheriff to inform residents about telephone and internet scams. The initiative includes seminars at community centers targeting senior citizens, covering warning signs, prevention strategies, fund recovery options, and reporting procedures, with plans to continue the program into the new year.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
At least four Manitoba seniors fell victim to "grandparent scams" within one week in late October and early November 2024, in which fraudsters impersonated lawyers and claimed the victims' grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money. The scams escalated to include in-person contact, with perpetrators either coming to seniors' homes or driving them to banks to withdraw "significant amounts" of money. RCMP noted the scammers' increasing confidence and use of social media information, and urged the public to verify such claims by contacting family members directly before sending money.
unionnewsdaily.com
· 2025-12-08
The Kenilworth Police Department held a "Coffee with a Cop" event at the Kenilworth Senior Center with 45 attendees to discuss community safety issues. Police warned seniors about common scams including fraudulent IRS calls, identity theft schemes, and impersonators claiming to be law enforcement requesting money. The department also discussed traffic safety, a "No Knock Policy" for solicitors, and staffing challenges, while encouraging residents to report suspicious activity and attend town council meetings to advocate for increased police resources.
weirtondailytimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Utility scams targeting seniors use threatening calls about immediate service shutoffs to extort money through fear and intimidation. The article advises recipients to hang up immediately, call their utility using the legitimate number on their bill, and report the scam to both the utility company and the FTC, emphasizing that real utilities do not operate this way and that money sent to scammers is nearly impossible to recover. According to ABC News and FBI data, people over 65 lost nearly $1 billion to scams in 2020, with seniors representing most of the 23,000 victims, particularly in California, Florida, and Texas.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
At least four Manitoba seniors fell victim to "grandparent scams" within one week, where fraudsters impersonated lawyers claiming their grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money. In some cases, scammers made in-person contact, including driving one East St. Paul senior to a bank and collecting money from victims' homes, with police reporting "significant" amounts were lost in multiple incidents. RCMP noted the increasing sophistication and boldness of perpetrators who use social media information to target victims, and urged Manitobans to verify such claims by contacting family members directly rather than sending money to unknown callers.
journee-mondiale.com
· 2025-12-08
The United States observes National Slam the Scam Day on March 7th annually, an awareness campaign established by the Federal Trade Commission in 2020 to educate the public about fraud prevention. Common scams include phishing emails, fake charities, tech support schemes, romance scams, and grandparent scams targeting the elderly—such as the case of 78-year-old Martha, who lost $5,000 after receiving a fraudulent call claiming to be from her grandson. The FTC recommends protecting oneself by verifying information, never sharing personal details unsolicited, monitoring credit reports, and reporting suspicious activity to authorities.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Southern California residents are being targeted by a sophisticated email extortion scam that uses personal information—including names, addresses, phone numbers, and photos of homes—obtained from data breaches to threaten victims with exposure of alleged pornography browsing history, typically demanding approximately $2,000 in Bitcoin. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office warns this is a nationwide boilerplate scam perpetrated by scammers often based outside the country, who rely on creating fear and urgency rather than actual device hacking. Authorities recommend ignoring such emails, enabling two-factor authentication, monitoring accounts for suspicious activity, and reporting incidents to local law enforcement or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
"Digital arrest" scams have become a widespread fraud in India where perpetrators pose as law enforcement officials via video call, falsely accusing victims of crimes and ordering them to remain isolated at home while transferring money to avoid arrest. Victims reported losing approximately Rs 120.3 crore during the first quarter of 2024 alone, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently warning the public that digital arrests do not legally exist in India and legitimate agencies never request personal information via phone or video call. The scam exploits fear-based social engineering tactics, often initiated with calls about overseas parcels containing drugs, misused identification, or family members in legal trouble.