To steal money from their victims, scammers use a process worthy of an action movie.
Whether it’s romance scams, fake job offers, fake bank advisors… The year 2026 should still be marked by new scams, claiming their share of victims. But another, much more sophisticated method stands out for its dangerousness: digital arrest. This phenomenon, which relies on modern technologies, exploits above all a timeless human flaw: the fear of authority.
This scam is based on particularly audacious identity theft involving law enforcement. Initially very widespread in India, this type of fraud is now crossing borders to establish itself in the United States. The specificity of this attack lies in its staging: it does not simply seek to steal data quickly, but to install a lasting climate of terror by making the victim believe that they are subject to imminent legal proceedings.
The modus operandi is akin to real psychological harassment. It usually starts with a notification accusing the target of being involved in a serious crime. To make their scenario credible, the criminals do not hesitate to use cutting-edge technologies, sometimes including “deepfakes” (videos rigged by AI) simulating police surveillance in real time. As observers from the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) note, the pressure exerted is extreme: “Fake law enforcement officers then interrogate you via video calls, not for hours, but for days, while threatening you with criminal charges and pressuring you to pay settlements or fines“.
The repercussions of this fraud go far beyond simple financial loss. While the sums extorted can be substantial, it is the traumatic impact that worries specialists the most. The victim is subjected to intense and prolonged stress, which can have serious consequences on their physical and mental health. Dramatic cases have already been reported, such as that of a retired doctor in Hyderabad, who died of cardiac arrest after undergoing dozens of hours of this fictitious interrogation. This demonstrates that digital arrest is not just a threat to the wallet, but a real psychological assault.
