Ankush Bahuguna On 40-Hour-Long Digital Arrest: "I Can't Believe This Has Happened To Me"

Social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna recently opened up about the digital arrest scam in which he was held hostage for almost 40 hours. In a video, he described how scammers manipulated him, resulting in him losing money and even mental health to the scam.

"I Was Held Hostage..."

"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 Bahuguna said.

Ankush said in the video, "Sharing this, so others don't have to go through what I went through. I feel so lucky to have friends with such strong instincts who noticed a change in my behaviour even when I was sending ‘I'm okay' texts."

"I know a lot of you are aware of it, but I don't think a lot of people understand the extent to which these scammers can go to control you," Ankush Bahuguna added.

How It Started:

Detailing how the scam unfolded, Ankush said he got a call the day before yesterday on returning from the gym from a "very weird number" that started with +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 cancelled. Press zero for support," Ankush said.

"Biggest Mistake Of My Life..."

"Now, I haven't sent anything, but I pressed zero… because I was just curious. Biggest mistake of my life. Customer support answers. He told me 'sir aapke package mein illegal saaman pakda gaya hai [something illegal has been detected in your package]," Ankush recalled.

Ankush said the person on the call told him that he was sending a package to China and customs have seized it now.

"I got scared, I said I hadn't sent anything," Ankush said in the video, adding that he was then told that his name, Aadhar number, and other personal details were mentioned in the package.

Photo Credit: Instagram

"This Is A Very Serious Crime..."

"This is a very serious crime, and now you will be under digital arrest," Ankush Bahuguna was told by the callers, who also said there was an arrest warrant already in his name.

Ankush Bahuguna further told he then panicked and was asked to talk to the police within an hour. "He then convinces me that i don't have enough time to go to the police station and he will do me a favour by connecting directly to the police station.

"I don't know how the call then gets transferred to a WhatsApp call, which is a video call with a police officer… he is in police ki wardi [police uniform]," Ankush Bahuguna said in the video, adding that he panicked further after he was told he is involved in money laundering, drug trafficking and a lot of very very serious crimes..."

He explained the entire situation in the video. His post has garnered lots of reaction and the comment section is filled with concerned comments for him.

This kind of scam is rapidly increasing, iso t's important to spread awareness and be careful while dealing with such calls.