Uno reverse: Scammer posing as cop accidentally dials Thrissur cyber cell, here’s what followed [details]

It was a routine scam call initiated by the scammer impersonating a senior police officer; only the call accidentally landed at Thrissur Cyber Cell. In the video of the interaction, which has gone viral on social media, the scammer got the shock of his life when his potential victim turned out to be a real cop.

The scammer initially attempted an extortionist approach, while sticking to the usual playbook of intimidation and threats. However, the real officer on the other end, realized well in time, the shady nature of the call and played along.

The scammer probably stuck to his script, introduced himself via video call and continued to pressurize the real cop for money. The Thrissur police officer, meanwhile, initially kept his camera off and continued to engage the scammer into a conversation while playing the potential gullible victim. The real cop responded politely to the scammer’s question and said, “Where are you? My camera is not working properly.”

Officer finally switched on his camera after further insistence from the scammer. Soon enough the scammer realized his mistake and turned off his camera, but it was too late. “Yeh chod do bhai. We have traced your location,” said the Thrissur cop.

The video of the incident, shared by Thrissur Police, has gone viral, while underscoring the tactics used in digital arrest and the ‘technical prowess and authenticity’ of the cyber scams. The fraudsters impeccably impersonate law enforcement agencies to con the gullible victims into parting with their money. The scammer in this case was not just posing as a cop while dressed in police uniform but also had a police station as a backdrop set-up.

Reportedly, in 2023, more than 15 lakh cybercrime complaints were filed, marking a seven fold increase compared to 2020. To tackle cyber crimes, the central government deactivated over 6 lakh mobile numbers linked to scam calls and other similar spam activities. Cybersecurity agencies froze around Rs 3.25 lakh fake bank accounts linked to cyber crimes. From fake automated voice messages posing as real company’s helpline numbers to fake bank websites with deceptively similar domain names, the cyber scams rarely involve individuals with face or human interaction these days.

How the scam of digital arrest works?

Digital arrest is one of the latest scams that cons gullible victims by alleging serious crimes before extorting money out of them. The scammer’s first point of contact is usually an SMS, a Whatsapp or an email, depending on the availability of the contact details. This is then followed by a call to the recipient leveling serious non-bailable offenses like pornography, drug peddling, money laundering etc. The harrowed, potential victims are then told to get in touch through a specific number to avoid “digital arrest.” From thereon the impersonators take over via a video or audio call.