Bareilly Boy, 13, Outsmarts 'Digital Arrest' Fraudsters — And Here's How You Can Too

Last Updated:April 11, 2026, 12:52 IST

Digital Arrest News: UP teen's suspicion deepened when the fraudsters started asking about the family's properties, jewellery and house ownership.

A 13-year-old Bareilly boy outsmarted cyber fraudsters who had ‘digitally arrested’ his parents — keeping them hostage on a video call for hours by posing as NIA officers. Tanmay, a Class 8 student, recognised the scam from newspaper reports and tricked the callers into disconnecting, saving his family from certain financial ruin.

What Happened, And How Did A 13-Year-Old See Through It?

A bakery owner and his wife from Bareilly nearly fell victim to a ‘digital arrest’ scam, where criminals posing as NIA officers tried to extort them.

According to The Times of India, the fraudsters called Sanjay Saxena, 55, claiming his phone number was linked to terrorists and a Rs 300 crore fraud.

• The accused sent a fake “arrest warrant" to make the threat seem real.

• Saxena and his wife, frozen with fear, had already shared their bank details and information about their valuables and properties.

• They were being kept on a continuous video call — a classic digital arrest tactic.

• But their son Tanmay grew suspicious when the fraudsters started asking about the family’s properties, jewellery and house ownership — and decided to act.

How Did 13-Year-Old Crack The Case?

Saxena’s son Tanmay grew suspicious and stepped in. He was quoted by TOI: “The accused asked my parents to stay on video call. I was sure this was a case of digital arrest, as I had read about digital arrests in the newspaper some days ago."

• His suspicion deepened when the fraudsters started asking about the family’s properties, jewellery and house ownership.

• When his parents hesitated to disconnect, Tanmay came up with a clever trick — he asked his father to put the phone on flight mode, telling him it would not disconnect the call.

• The moment flight mode was activated, the call dropped. The fraud was foiled.

What Did Police Do?

The family immediately informed the police. TOI reported that an FIR has been registered and all bank accounts of the bakery owner have been frozen to keep the money safe. Bareilly SSP Anurag Arya said the accused would be arrested soon.

What Should You Do If This Happens To You?

• Never share bank details or property information on a call, no matter how official it sounds.

• No real government agency conducts arrests over video call.

• Report immediately to police or the national cyber helpline at 1930, or log on to cybercrime.gov.in.

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