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Indian stand-up comedian Ankita Shrivastav has publicly revealed, for the first time, how she became a victim of a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme that left her financially and emotionally shaken. The comedian said she lost around 900,000 Indian rupees after scammers falsely placed her under what is being described as a “digital arrest.”
Shrivastav shared her ordeal through a comedy video posted on YouTube, where she explained how the scam began with a phone call from an individual pretending to represent FedEx. The caller falsely claimed that a parcel linked to her identity had been sent to Iraq containing illegal substances.
She further recounted that the situation escalated when she was connected via video call to two individuals dressed as police officers. They allegedly insisted on verifying her identity to determine her involvement in the supposed shipment.
According to Shrivastav, she was kept under continuous surveillance through a video call for nearly eight hours. During this time, she was allegedly instructed not to turn off her camera, leave her residence, or contact anyone outside.
She described the experience as mentally draining, saying the pressure and confusion left her psychologically exhausted before she ultimately complied with the scammers’ demands.
Believing the authorities were legitimate, she transferred a total of 900,000 rupees before later realizing she had been deceived in a well-orchestrated fraud.
Shrivastav said she decided to speak publicly about the incident to raise awareness about such scams. She emphasized that if someone as aware and cautious as herself could be targeted, “it could happen to anyone.”
Her case highlights a growing wave of cybercrime in India, where “digital arrest” scams have become increasingly common. Fraudsters often impersonate law enforcement or government officials to intimidate victims and extract money under false pretenses.
