Fake Courts, AI Cops, and Digital FIRs—Cybercriminals are winning. Is India falling behind?
High-tech fraud as digital arrest scams are spreading in India. Imagine answering a video call to see a “police officer” and a judge in what looks like an official courtroom. It feels real, but it’s a carefully staged cybercrime—and it’s happening across India right now.
Technology is being weaponised in new ways, with fake court hearings, deepfake officers, and digital FIRs becoming the tools of choice for scammers. Shockingly, these criminals aren’t just targeting the uneducated—they’re also conning India’s most educated and wealthy, including corporate leaders and those in the tech industry. As the threat grows, it’s clear that no one is immune to these high-tech scams.
S.P. Oswal, a well-known Indian businessman, lost nearly INR 7 crore after falling victim to a fake Supreme Court hearing. Cybercriminals, posing as Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, pressured him into transferring the funds. This alarming case underscores the rise of high-profile scams that exploit advanced technology to deceive even the most influential figures.
This wasn’t a simple phishing attempt; it was a meticulously orchestrated digital nightmare. Cybercriminals staged an entire online courtroom, complete with fake warrants and deepfake voices, to deceive their victim. The level of sophistication involved highlights the terrifying reality of modern cybercrime, where even the most trusted institutions can be replicated with alarming accuracy.
If someone so influential and knowledgeable can be deceived by such a scam, what hope is there for the average person?
