In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, a recent case of cyber fraud involved a Class 8 student who saved his parents from falling victim to a scam that lasted almost 10 hours. The incident occurred in Prem Nagar, where Sanjay Saxena, a local trader, and his wife were targeted by fraudsters pretending to be officials from an investigative agency.
The scammers accused Saxena of being involved in terrorist activities and a large-scale scam, even presenting a fake arrest warrant during a video call. Threats and psychological manipulation were used to keep the couple under constant surveillance, instructing them to stay at home, maintain the video call, and carry out all activities under scrutiny, including eating and resting.
During the extended call, the fraudsters obtained sensitive bank information with the intention of stealing money. As the situation intensified over several hours, the couple, paralyzed by fear, complied with the scammers’ demands without question. However, their son, Tanmay, recognized that something was amiss and, despite initial hesitation from his parents, took action late at night by switching the phone to flight mode, abruptly ending contact with the scammers and thwarting any financial loss.
The following day, the family reported the incident to the Prem Nagar police station. When the phone was turned back on, the scammers tried to reconnect but were intercepted by police authorities. SP City Manush Pareek emphasized the importance of vigilance and urged the public to report any suspicious calls involving threats or digital arrests to the police promptly, advising against sharing financial details under duress.