Cyber fraud stories like this digital arrest nightmare truly terrify me—it's chilling how even accomplished professionals can be psychologically trapped, losing everything to cold-blooded scammers exploiting fear and isolation. Dr Om Taneja and Dr Indira Taneja, retired UN doctors who spent 48 years in the US building a comfortable life and returning to India for philanthropy, became victims starting Christmas Eve 2025.

It began with calls impersonating CBI, TRAI, and customs officials alleging a parcel with drugs and fake passports linked to money laundering and national security threats. They declared "digital arrest," forbidding outside contact and enforcing 17 straight days of video calls—sometimes multiple simultaneous—to monitor every move.

The wife, 77 and less tech-savvy, was primarily tasked with bank visits, coached to give scripted excuses like "family medical emergency" or "property purchase" for transfers up to Rs 2 crore at a time across eight accounts. The husband was similarly watched. The ordeal peaked January 10 when scammers sent her to a police station for an alleged RBI refund process; there, when officers spoke, the fraudsters grew abusive and rude, instantly raising red flags.

The couple, in profound shock realizing their savings vanished, finally reported it. Delhi Police registered the case, handing it to the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) cyber unit for tracing funds and perpetrators. In my view, this exposes a devastating vulnerability in elders—even brilliant minds crumble under sustained terror and isolation. Banks and telecom platforms urgently need robust alerts for unusual patterns, while family check-ins could save lives. Heartbreaking to see their golden years shattered; praying for fund recovery and stronger safeguards to prevent more tragedies in our increasingly digital world.