Social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna recounts a terrifying 40-hour ordeal after falling victim to a sophisticated scam. Trapped in a “digital arrest,” he was accused of crimes he didn’t commit and coerced into isolation. Bahuguna’s story highlights the growing menace of cyber fraud and the importance of vigilance.
BY PC Bureau
Social media influencer and YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna has shared his harrowing experience of being trapped in a “digital arrest” scam for nearly 40 hours. The influencer, who had previously represented India at the Cannes Film Festival, recounted the traumatic ordeal in a video on Instagram, warning others to stay vigilant against such frauds.
Bahuguna revealed that the incident began when he received a call from an international number. The automated message claimed his courier delivery had been canceled and directed him to press zero for support. The scam escalated when a person posing as a police officer accused him of involvement in an illegal package shipment to China, allegedly containing his personal details, including his Aadhaar number.
The scammers threatened him with an arrest warrant and demanded he stay on a video call for hours, isolating him from his loved ones under the guise of protecting them.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>YouTuber <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnkushBahuguna?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#AnkushBahuguna</a> recounts 40-hour 'digital arrest' by scammers.<br><br>Read more: <a href=”https://t.co/bYqhDocVDE”>https://t.co/bYqhDocVDE</a> <a href=”https://t.co/nITprnXRN6″>pic.twitter.com/nITprnXRN6</a></p>— NDTV Profit (@NDTVProfitIndia) <a href=”https://twitter.com/NDTVProfitIndia/status/1875932498552856694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
“They told me customs had seized a package in my name and that I would now be under digital arrest. I was terrified and believed them,” Bahuguna said.
At one point, he nearly sent money to the scammers but was unable to complete the transaction due to banking issues. The scammers then instructed him to check into a hotel for his safety. It was only after receiving a warning text from a friend that he realized it was a scam and managed to escape the situation.
#CyberAlert | 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 ‘𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐦’?
Watch this shocking story of an elderly woman who was held captive for 13 days over the phone and scammed out of 80 lakh rupees.
Catch the show now: https://t.co/CylCwZ2x6j
Find answers to all questions… pic.twitter.com/bNmagYrgk5
— DD News (@DDNewslive) January 4, 2025
The incident left Bahuguna shaken. “I am still in shock. I’ve lost money and peace of mind. I can’t believe this happened to me,” he said. He emphasized the importance of awareness and thanked his friends for recognizing the changes in his behavior and intervening.
The influencer’s followers flooded his post with messages of support. One user commented, “You’re not stupid; this can happen to anyone. Please take care of yourself and rest.”
Through his ordeal, Bahuguna hopes to raise awareness and prevent others from falling victim to similar scams. “I’m sharing my story so no one else has to go through what I did. Stay alert and trust your instincts,” he urged.
