Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Surat Senior Citizen Loses Rs 2.96 Crore in Digital Fraud
An 82-year-old man in Surat was tricked by a group of fraudsters.
They pretended to be Mumbai Police officers.
They told him he could be arrested in a money-laundering case.
This type of scam is called a digital arrest fraud.
The man reportedly lost more than Rs 2.96 crore.
He reported the incident to the police in Bardoli.
Police have registered a case against people whose identities are not yet known.
Cybercrime teams are helping search for the suspects.
An 82-year-old former NRI in Surat lost over Rs 2.96 crore in a digital arrest scam.
The victim, Prabhubhai Patel, was allegedly threatened with arrest in a money-laundering case.
The fraudsters reportedly posed as personnel from the Mumbai Police.
Patel filed a complaint at the Bardoli police station on Monday.
Police registered a case against unidentified individuals and are working with cybercrime investigation teams.
- Who
- Prabhubhai Patel, an 82-year-old former NRI living in Bardoli, Surat district, was defrauded.
- What
- He lost over Rs 2.96 crore in an alleged digital arrest fraud.
- When
- Patel filed a police complaint on Monday; police discussed the case on Tuesday.
- Where
- The complaint was filed at Bardoli police station in Surat district, Gujarat.
- Why
- The fraudsters allegedly posed as Mumbai Police personnel and threatened Patel with arrest in a money-laundering case.
- Victim
- Prabhubhai Patel, aged 82
- Reported loss
- More than Rs 2.96 crore
- Fraud type
- Digital arrest fraud
- Impersonated agency
- Mumbai Police
- Police station
- Bardoli police station
- Case status
- An offence was registered against unidentified persons
- Investigation
- Cybercrime investigation teams are assisting police