What happened to the 100-year-old man in Lucknow?

The 100-year-old man in Lucknow was trapped by scammers posing as CBI officers, who kept him under "digital arrest" for six days and forced his son to transfer over $1.29 million into multiple accounts.

Who lost the money in the Lucknow cyber fraud case?

The money, over $1.29 million, was transferred by the 100-year-old man's son, a retired Merchant Navy officer named Surinder Pal Singh, under threat of legal action from the scammers.

Home / Crime and Justice / Centenarian Scammed of $1.5M by Fake CBI Agents in Chilling Cyber Fraud

Centenarian Scammed of $1.5M by Fake CBI Agents in Chilling Cyber Fraud

Q: How did the scammers target the Lucknow centenarian?

The scammers posed as CBI officers and kept the 100-year-old man under a so-called "digital arrest" for six days, cutting him off from the outside world and forcing him to remain confined to phone and video calls.

28 Aug

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Summary

100-year-old man trapped by fraudsters posing as CBI officers
Victim's son, a retired Merchant Navy officer, forced to transfer $1.29 million
Scam involved "digital arrest" and cutting off victim from outside world

Centenarian Scammed of $1.5M by Fake CBI Agents in Chilling Cyber Fraud

On August 22, 2025, a disturbing case of cyber fraud unfolded in Lucknow, where a 100-year-old man fell victim to a sophisticated scam orchestrated by con artists posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers.

The scammers trapped the centenarian and kept him under a so-called "digital arrest" for six days, cutting him off from the outside world and forcing him to remain confined to phone and video calls. Under threat of legal action, the victim's son, a retired Merchant Navy officer named Surinder Pal Singh, was compelled to transfer a staggering Rs 1.29 crore (over $1.5 million) into multiple accounts in Gujarat, Goa, and Jalgaon.

The fraudsters had promised the money would be refunded once "verification" was complete, but when no repayment came, the family approached the police on August 26, 2025. Investigators noted that this "digital arrest" scam, a new cybercrime tactic, has already duped victims of crores across India, using fear, coercion, and impersonation of officials.

The case highlights the growing threat of sophisticated cyber fraud schemes targeting the elderly and vulnerable, and the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to protect the public from such predatory practices.

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