Renowned poet Naresh Saxena was “digitally arrested” by a fake CBI officer, but was saved thanks to timely intervention by his family

Renowned poet and litterateur Naresh Saxena narrowly escaped a digital extortion plotted by a fraudster posing as a CBI official. The incident took place on Sunday, July 7, when Saxena received a video call from someone claiming to be from the CBI’s Mumbai branch. According to a post shared by Saxena on social media, the fraudster claimed to be CBI Inspector Rohan Sharma and falsely accused him of being involved in a money laundering scheme. He claimed that someone had opened an account using Saxena’s Aadhaar card details, implicating him in a criminal case. The fraudsters forced the poet into digital confinement at his home by threatening to arrest him.

The fraudster locked me in the room for nearly six hours and demanded payment to release me, the poet recalled in a Facebook post, adding that his family became suspicious and intervened before the transaction took place. During the ordeal, Saxena revealed that the impostors not only blackmailed him but also became addicted to listening to his poems and playing music, trying to build a rapport while carrying out their plan.

See the Facebook post here:

Authorities have been alerted and are investigating to arrest the perpetrators of this elaborate scam. Such online fraud is on the rise, with criminals exploiting fear and misinformation, often using false accusations and digital intimidation to successfully extort money from innocent victims. Naresh Saxena’s case highlights the importance of vigilance and immediate reporting in stopping such cybercrime.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Cyber ​​Crime Police Station in India recently released an exhaustive advisory to create awareness among the public about the growing menace of cyber crime. The advisory highlights various prevalent scams and provides necessary preventive measures for citizens, PTI reported. It highlights call scams from unknown or international numbers on mobile phones or WhatsApp. The callers usually impersonate officials from departments like Customs, Narcotics Control or CBI. They claim that the recipient’s documents were found in a suspicious package containing drugs, documents, clothing, Aadhar card and SIM card.

Another tactic mentioned in the advisory is “digital house arrest,” where cyber criminals confine victims to their homes to defraud them. They use audio or video calls, often pretending to be law enforcement officers through artificial intelligence-generated voice or video technology. “The callers claim that the items found are related to money laundering or hawala transactions and the recipient’s bank account is under investigation. They threaten to register an FIR and issue a non-bailable warrant (NBW),” the police said in a press release, according to PTI.

During these calls, the scammers often present fake departmental IDs to build trust. They then instruct the victim to connect via Skype or WhatsApp video, using this to control the victim and prevent them from contacting their family. The victim is coerced into transferring funds, including fixed deposits, to the scammers’ accounts under the guise of a legal investigation.

The advisory reportedly stated, “Around 10 such incidents have been reported in recent months, leading to the registration of FIRs and ongoing investigations.” Preliminary findings indicate that these cyber criminals are operating in Jaipur, Bhilwara and Bikaner in Rajasthan. The police have collected important clues from these areas and are actively working to bust the gang involved.