Popular social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna shared his traumatic experience of being held hostage by scammers for 40 hours. In an Instagram video, he described how he was subjected to a "digital arrest," isolated from friends and family, and manipulated into making financial transactions.
The nightmare began with a fake call about a package delivery. When Ankush pressed "zero" for support, he was connected to a scammer posing as a customer service representative.
The scammer told him that a package with illegal substances was linked to his name and that an arrest warrant had been issued for him.
Panicking, Ankush was convinced that he had to resolve the matter quickly. He was then connected to an officer via video call, who accused him of serious crimes like money laundering and drug trafficking.
The officer told Ankush he was under "self-custody" and would be isolated for 40 hours. For the next two days, Ankush was not allowed to contact anyone and was forced to comply with the scammers' demands.
Also Read: Nearly 7 lakh SIMs blocked to curb cybercrime: Govt in RS
During his captivity, Ankush was coerced into sharing sensitive information and even making suspicious bank transactions. He was threatened with harm to his family and career if he didn't cooperate.
His friends and family grew concerned but could not reach him, as he was forced to lie and say everything was fine.
Finally, after 40 hours, Ankush saw a message from his sister warning him that he was the victim of a scam. Realizing he was safe, Ankush shared his ordeal to raise awareness about the dangers of digital scams.
He encouraged everyone to stay alert and report such incidents immediately to avoid falling victim to similar fraud.
Also Read: Bengaluru techie duped of ₹11.8 cr in 'digital arrest'
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