Deepak Gupta

Government and authority impersonation · Also called digital arrest scam, fake police call, parcel with drugs scam, CBI impersonation

Police impersonation and digital arrest

A digital arrest scam is when criminals posing as police, customs, or a national investigation agency accuse you of a crime, such as a parcel with drugs in your name. They keep you on a video call for hours or days, forbid you to tell anyone, and demand money to clear your name.

How it works

A call claims a parcel in the victim's name contains drugs or fake passports, or that their identity or bank account is linked to a crime.
The call is passed to a fake officer on a video call, sometimes in uniform or with an official-looking backdrop, who says the victim is under investigation.
The victim is told to stay on camera, isolate, and tell no one, a condition the scammers call digital arrest.
They demand money to verify the victim's funds, pay bail, or settle the case, often by bank transfer, crypto, or cash handover.

Red flags

A caller says you are linked to a crime and must stay on a video call until the case is resolved.
You are told not to hang up or tell your family, lawyer, or bank.
The officer asks you to transfer money for verification, bail, or to prove your innocence.
Documents such as warrants or case letters are sent to you on a messaging app.

If you are targeted

Stop contact: end the call and do not send money, however official the caller looks.
Tell family or someone you trust, then contact your local police using a number you look up yourself.
If you have transferred money, call your bank at once to try to stop the payment.
Report it. Our Report a scam page lists where to report in your country, such as ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.
In India, report it on the cybercrime helpline 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in.

Where to report, by country

Prevention

For individuals

Know that real police and investigation agencies do not arrest people over a video call or demand payment by phone.
Hang up on anyone who says you must stay on a call and keep it secret, and call the agency back on an official number.
Never share bank details or move money because a caller says it needs to be checked or protected.

For organisations

Banks can pause and question large, urgent transfers by customers who seem to be following instructions from a caller.
Messaging and video platforms can remove accounts that use police insignia and report them to law enforcement.

By the numbers

Figures are for the reporting category this scam falls under, not this scam alone.

Government impersonation losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025	$797.9M	US, 2025, FBI IC3
Government impersonator losses reported to the FTC in 2025 (about this amount)	$920M	US, 2025, FTC

Real cases

No documented case in the atlas yet. New cases are added as they are sourced.

Delivered through: Voice phishing (vishing)

How official datasets classify it

FBI IC3: Government Impersonation
FTC: Government Imposters
UK Finance: Impersonation: police/bank staff
Scamwatch: Threat scams

Questions

What is a digital arrest?: It is the name for a scam in which criminals posing as police or investigators keep a victim on a video call under threat of arrest until they pay. The FBI says law enforcement will never contact the public by phone to demand payment.
Would real police ask me to pay by crypto or courier?: No. The FBI says law enforcement and government officials will never request payment by prepaid card, cryptocurrency, or courier. In India, report digital arrest calls on 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in.