A Japanese national, Hiroshi Sasaki, working in Bengaluru, was defrauded of Rs 35.5 lakh by cybercriminals who posed as Mumbai Police officers from the Cyber Crime wing and placed him under 'digital arrest'. The scammers alleged Sasaki's involvement in a money laundering case and coerced him into making payments through various means, including RTGS, between December 12 and 14. The fraudsters assured Sasaki that the money would be returned post-investigation. After realizing he had been duped, Sasaki reported the incident to the South East Cyber Crimes, Economics and Narcotics (CEN) police station, where an investigation is underway. The scam involved initial contact from someone claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, warning Sasaki of his phone number's unauthorized use and instructing him to dial a number that connected him to the scammers.