Rs 109 crore swindled in ‘digital arrest’ frauds this year in Karnataka: Minister Parameshwara reveals how much of it is recovered

Karnataka residents have lost Rs 109.01 crore in 2024 to “digital arrest” scams, in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials to deceive people into transferring large sums of money, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Thursday. Of that amount, law enforcement agencies recovered less than one-tenth, totalling Rs 9.45 crore, he said.

Responding to a question by BJP MLC K Prathap Simha Nayak in Karnataka Legislative Council, Parameshwara said 641 “digital arrest” cases were reported in the state this year and of these, 480—approximately three-fourths—were in Bengaluru city. He said 24 cases were reported in Mysuru and 21 in Mangaluru.