Anjali's* nightmare began with a phone call that would cost her 58.5m rupees ($663,390).
The caller claimed to be from a courier company, alleging that Mumbai customs had seized a drug parcel she was sending to Beijing.
Anjali, a resident of Gurugram, fell prey to a digital arrest scam - fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials on video calls and threatening her with life in prison unless she complied.
For five distressing days, she was subjected to surveillance and threats, eventually coercing her into liquidating her assets. After that, my brain stopped working. My mind shut down, Anjali reflected.
As digital scams proliferate, with reports increasing to 123,000 cases from 2022 to 2024, Anjali's case is emblematic of a larger issue.
Despite a year of pursuing justice, filing petitions to authorities including the prime minister, and navigating through a maze of bureaucratic negligence, her recovery attempts have been met with resistance.
The banking system's failure to monitor unusual transactions raises concerns; Anjali notes significant withdrawals went unchallenged despite their size exceeding her previous patterns by a staggering 200 times.
As her harrowing journey continues with minimal recovery of her funds, discussions on the responsibilities of banks in mitigating such fraud resonate more passionately, further complicating the plight of victims bearing the financial brunt of increasing cybercrime.
Importantly, Anjali highlights the unfair taxation on her fraudulent losses, amplifying her struggle as she seeks recognition and justice for her ordeal.
*The victim's real name has been changed to protect her identity.
