Digital Arrest: How Ankush Bahuguna Was Kept in Self-Custody for 40 Hours. Personal Information Extracted

Influencers and Content creators are at a larger threat because they frequently face a digital arrest where the creator's accounts such as YouTube and Instagram are frozen until the ransom is received. Recently, it was reported that popular content creator Ankush Bahuguna faced digital arrest and his account was frozen. He recounted the experience in an Instagram Live video. It took 40 hours before he was able to restore his account. The three-day chase was extremely challenging claimed Ankush. “I have been missing from social media and everywhere for the last three days, I was held hostage by some scammers for 40 hours… I have lost money, I have lost my mental health to this, I can’t believe this has happened to me,”.

Ankush said he made a mistake when he received a call from an international number with the prefix (+1). “ It seemed like an international number. I picked it up without thinking much. It was an automated call that said your courier delivery had been canceled. Press zero for support.” Ankush denied involvement in the matter, however, the person on the call insisted on sharing his Adhaar number to verify the details. After he shared the details, he was arrested online.

Things quickly changed when he learned that someone was laundering money and trafficking drugs under his name.. They also informed us that Ankush was a prime suspect and that he was on the “International Wanted List” with an arrest warrant against his name. “ I was then told that I did not have enough time to visit the police station and they would do me a favor by connecting me to the police station directly”.Then, a WhatsApp call was placed with a person impersonating a uniformed police officer.

Ankush was then instructed to turn off all his gadgets so that communication could be completely blocked. The individuals succeeded in obtaining data and information on Ankush, keeping him separated from the linked world. The callers placed him on a 40-hour video call and instructed him to transfer some funds to a specific account. However, due to a branch move, the account rejected all transactions. When a friend pointed out that this was a hoax, he was saved.

Ankush shared his tale on Instagram to raise awareness of the numerous continuing scams. Additionally, the incident shows the frequency and prevalence of digital scams. He also warned people not to answer any strange phone numbers, especially if they appear to be fraudulent. The rise of digital platforms has accelerated the spread of digital scams, posing issues for those who use numerous social media networks.