The Digital Trap: Bengaluru Veteran's Harrowing Two Weeks Under Cyber Duress

It's truly heartbreaking to hear stories like this, where those who've dedicated their lives to service become targets for heartless scammers. In a deeply unsettling incident that's recently come to light, a 68-year-old retired Army Colonel from Bengaluru, B. A. Prakash, found himself ensnared in an elaborate cyber fraud, ultimately losing a staggering Rs 56 lakh of his hard-earned savings. For two harrowing weeks, he was held captive, not by physical chains, but by a meticulously crafted psychological web, a terrifying ordeal known chillingly as a 'digital arrest'.

The whole nightmare began, as these things often do, with a seemingly innocuous phone call. On October 25th, the Colonel received a call from someone posing as a FedEx representative. The caller, with an air of authority, informed him that a package addressed to him had been intercepted, allegedly containing illicit items – multiple passports, drugs, and other contraband. Now, for most of us, this would immediately raise red flags. But these scammers are cunning; they play on fear and confusion, slowly chipping away at their victim's resolve.

The charade quickly escalated. The 'FedEx agent' smoothly transferred the call, claiming it was urgent, to an individual who then identified themselves as a high-ranking officer from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This 'CBI officer' wasted no time, launching into a terrifying narrative: Colonel Prakash's Aadhaar card details, they claimed, were somehow linked to a major money laundering and drug trafficking operation. Imagine the shock, the sheer terror, of being confronted with such baseless yet grave accusations, especially when you’ve lived a life of integrity.

What followed was a masterclass in psychological manipulation. The scammers enforced what they called a "digital arrest." They ordered the Colonel to remain completely isolated, threatening dire consequences if he dared to speak to anyone – not his wife, not his friends, nobody. They even made him sit through prolonged video calls, convincing him he was under constant surveillance, ensuring his compliance. For two long weeks, from October 25th to November 8th, he was effectively held hostage in his own home, bombarded with instructions and veiled threats, all designed to break his spirit and cloud his judgment.

Under immense pressure, with his mind reeling from the false accusations and the constant fear of arrest, Colonel Prakash was coerced into transferring significant sums of money. The scammers, ever so artfully, claimed these funds were crucial for "judicial verification" and to secure "court approval" to clear his name. They directed him to make multiple transactions to various bank accounts, each time reinforcing the urgency and the secrecy. His belief that he was clearing his name, rather than simply being drained of his life savings, was tragic.

It was only after a fortnight of this relentless torment, after Rs 56 lakh had vanished from his accounts, that the chilling reality finally dawned on him. The silence from the "authorities" after the last transfer, the growing unease, perhaps a casual word with a trusted individual – something finally broke through the fog of fear. Realizing the colossal fraud he had fallen victim to, the distraught Colonel immediately approached the Bengaluru cybercrime police, who are now diligently investigating this heinous crime.

This incident, sadly, isn't an isolated one. Cyber fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, preying on vulnerabilities and trust. The police, while working hard to track down these criminals, urge everyone to exercise extreme caution. Remember, no legitimate authority – be it FedEx, the CBI, or any bank – will ever demand money for investigations, threaten you with immediate arrest over the phone, or ask you to keep an investigation secret from your loved ones. Always verify such calls independently and never, ever share personal financial details or transfer money under duress. Stay vigilant, stay safe.