Concerning Digital Fraud Trends Uncovered by Quick Heal, Urges Users to Stay Vigilant Against Digital Arrest

Quick Heal Technologies Limited, a global provider of cybersecurity solutions, has detected a sharp rise in “digital arrest” scams. The company’s latest analysis, prepared by researchers at Seqrite Labs, India’s largest malware analysis platform, highlights how criminals now combine leaked personal data with aggressive impersonation of law-enforcement agencies to coerce victims into transferring money or divulging sensitive information.

Digital arrest schemes typically begin with a phone, email, or video call that appears to come from an authority figure. Attackers cite fabricated allegations such as drug trafficking or money laundering and bolster credibility by reciting accurate personal details harvested from large-scale breaches, including the April 2024 BoAt leak that exposed 7.5 million customer records and a separate compromise of Hathway documents containing Aadhaar and passport data. By exploiting both fear and familiarity, scammers persuade targets to visit look-alike payment portals, enter card or UPI credentials, or install remote-access ...