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Santhosh Choudhari, whose alertness and quick thinking in dealing with a gang of fraudsters helped bust a fake police scam, is now collaborating with the cyber cell to help thwart cybercriminals
Santhosh Choudhari (left) helped nab scammers posing as police officers, who used fake accusations and intimidation to try and extract money from him. (News18)
Santhosh Choudhari, a young grape grower from Karnataka’s Vijayapura (formerly Bijapur), has transformed into an accidental cyber-hero.
The 34-year-old’s alertness and quick thinking in dealing with a gang of fraudsters earned him a special mention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his latest ‘Mann ki Baat’ broadcast. Choudhari, who fell victim to a fake police scam, is now collaborating with the cyber cell to help thwart cybercriminals.
It all started with a personal encounter when Choudhari, sensing something amiss in a call, recorded the screen with the conversation and shared it with both the police and on his social media account.
The video quickly went viral and even caught the attention of senior Telangana IPS officer, Additional Director General of Police VC Sajjanar, whose tweet boosted its reach. Soon, the video was noticed by the PMO and the Ministry of Home Affairs, leading PM Modi to commend Choudhari’s efforts in his radio address.
Sharing his experience, Choudhari told News18 how he faced scammers posing as police officers, who used fake accusations and intimidation to try and extract money from him.
He decided to record his mobile screen as it suddenly dawned on him that the call looked fake. Choudhari now works with local cybercrime units to track down such fraud rings. His vigilance has exposed yet another group attempting the same scheme on unsuspecting citizens.
The Call That Changed It All: September 10
It was September 10 when an unknown Indian number called on Choudhari’s phone. An automated voice warned him in no uncertain terms: his SIM card would be blocked unless he pressed 9 for more information. Unsettled by the call, he complied, only to be met with a stern voice in Hindi claiming that his number had been flagged by TRAI and the “cyber cell” would soon block it due to numerous complaints. They claimed his number was being transferred to the Mumbai Police.
Then came an IVR message welcoming him to the “Mumbai Cybercrime Police Station”. The scammer, posing as a police officer, demanded to know why Choudhari was contacting them.
“I explained that I’d been told there was an FIR against me, and I wanted to understand the details,” Choudhari recalled. But what he heard next made his heart pound. The fraudster listed charges: harassment, sexual abuse, child pornography, and illegal passport possession. “There are 17 complaints against you registered with the Mumbai Cybercrime Police,” the caller said, adding that if he did not comply and come before the police, they would arrest him.
Choudhari explained he was in Karnataka and couldn’t just appear in Mumbai overnight. But the scammer, unfazed, replied coolly: “Everything is digital now. Send us your documents, digitally signed. We’ll arrange a video call for verification.” They insisted it would be a “one-sided” call, a new protocol he would have to accept.
When he got the call and was asked to share his Aadhaar card details, which he said was not in his possession, they tried to probe him until he gave them a distorted number. The call went on until he said he would revert with details.
“Their conviction is frightening; they play their part so well that it convinces victims they’re truly under police scrutiny,” says Choudhari.
It was this video that was shared on social media, catching the attention of ADGP Sajjanar and later PM Modi.
The Latest Trap Call: October 20
A month later, on October 20, Choudhari received another call — this time allegedly from “Delhi Police”. The scam was executed with meticulous detail. First, a WhatsApp call came through displaying the Delhi Cybercrime Police logo. The caller identified himself as “Inspector Kumar” and provided a badge number, demanding identification documents. To appear authentic, he then connected Choudhari with a “senior officer” after a one-minute wait.
As the call continued, the scammers had prepped so well that they ensured the illusion of a police station with background sounds of doors opening and closing, police colleagues greeting each other with a crisp ‘Jai Hind’, and procedural instructions. The supposed officer even ordered Choudhari to keep his hands visible on the screen — a tactic to simulate interrogation.
“Let me see your hands at all times when I’m speaking to you,” he commanded, keeping up the act. Choudhari also kept up his end of the act.
Then, a man wearing a green T-shirt under his fake police uniform appeared on screen.
He started with a ‘Namaskar’ and then asked: “What is your problem?” To this, Choudhari replied: “I am told that at the international airport, the customs officer has seized some drugs called MDMA, which I don’t know what it is, and claims that my credit card, five passports, and 140 grams of MDMA have been seized along with some cloth as well.”
A background voice said a file was being readied to file the complaint.
“Should I come to Delhi to file a complaint?” Choudhari asked, to which the fake officer instructed him to file an online complaint before ending the call with folded hands, another ‘Namaskar’ and another ‘Jai Hind’. The video then switched off.
As the Vijayapura cybercrime cell monitored the call, Choudhari pretended to be intimidated, with folded hands pleading innocence over alleged drug smuggling charges.
The fake officers then staged an “emergency call”, with one scammer speaking into a walkie-talkie. This is how the conversation went:
“Hello 06, Hello 06…This is an emergency call. I repeat this is an emergency call.”
The officer responds to the call in a professional manner: “This is 06, Copy over.”
The walkie-talkie continues: “06, please be alert; this is an emergency case. According to our information this person has an HDFC bank account and there is a case of human trafficking and money laundering against him which is being investigated by the CBI. Be alert. Over.”
The fake officer makes it look genuine that he is responding to an alert call from the police headquarters and repeats the same to Choudhari.
The officer reads out Choudhari’s Aadhaar number, getting his name wrong. They call him Subhash Choudhry and ask the fake HQ to confirm if it is the same Subhash Choudhry, to which the reply comes, “Confirm. Confirm. This is the same Subhash Choudhry.”
“He is a major suspect in this case. The order is that if he tries to run away or contact any of his counterparts, or tries to leak information, he should be taken into custody immediately,” said the distorted voice.
Now, Choudhari, confident that he is being played by these fake officers, begs to be let free and says he does not understand the serious cases against his name. The officer begins to explain to him what human trafficking and money laundering is.
This entire episode goes on for a good 18 minutes. At one point they even act sympathetic and ask him whether he has doubts about anybody who may have misused his identity.
“There’s a report of human trafficking and money laundering associated with this individual’s HDFC account,” the voice says. Choudhari, knowing he was dealing with imposters, continued to play along until he was ordered to share his Aadhaar details.
At that point, he deliberately used a secure police link that he told the fraudsters was where his Aadhaar card was uploaded. On clicking, the link revealed the IP address of the fraudsters, leading to them disconnecting the call right after.
Investigations led to the tracking down of one suspect in Cambodia and three more in Shimla, and efforts are underway to arrest them.
Modus Operandi: The Con That Keeps Repeating
The setup is usually elaborate: the scammer calls from an Indian mobile number, insists the victim switch to a video call to record a “statement”, and demands personal documents like Aadhaar or PAN cards. Officers are seen wearing khaki uniforms with the logo of the police department/cybercrime in the background complete with an Indian flag to finish the official look.
The scam intensifies with threats of involvement in serious crimes such as sex trafficking, child pornography, or fraud. The final move? A strong statement to pay a sum to “resolve” the issue.
“But it’s surprisingly effective,” Choudhari explains. “People are shocked and caught off guard, making it easy for these fake police officers to manipulate them. They read the victim’s face, adjusting their tactics based on their reactions, even creating the illusion of a ‘digital arrest’.”
Choudhari’s message is clear: “I want the video of my experience to reach everybody so that they are aware of how they can be trapped. Like one of the fake officers told me: If you have not done anything wrong, why fear? That was the only genuine thing they said, which I also would like to tell all. Feel free to contact the police, record the fake calls and expose them one by one. We can help towards making our country cybersafe — one person at a time.”
Don’t Get Played by Fear and Greed: Telangana ADGP Sajjanar
Speaking to News18, ADGP Sajjanar warns people not to be stressed by such “nearly” convincing calls. “Verifying these calls and handling them calmly with the help of the police will help create a digitally safer India,” he said.
“The fraudsters lay out so much information, technical terms, and stress the victim to the point that they tend to fall prey to the scam. They even offer to take a bribe to make the case go away. If anyone falls prey to such cyber frauds, or if the fraudsters try to contact you, please dial 1930 immediately for assistance,” he added.
The senior police officer also explained how these scams have evolved over time, with fraudsters adapting their techniques. “Earlier, frauds used to involve OTPs, then moved to scams related to matrimonial alliances, and later to platforms like OLX.”
“They prey on people’s fear and greed, always updating their tactics. This ‘digital arrest’ tactic has become a huge nuisance. The next wave is investment frauds. People should remain vigilant, and the prime minister’s message is especially apt at this time to keep people aware and alert,” he said.
Both Sajjanar and Choudhari thanked the prime minister for bringing the issue of digital frauds to the fore and requested him to continue the war against cybercrimes.
- Location :
Vijayapura, India