'FedEx says your parcel has drugs': The scam that trapped comedian Ankita Shrivastav

Ankita Shrivastav, an Indian stand-up comedian, was the victim of a digital arrest scam orchestrated by criminals impersonating law enforcement officials. The scammers falsely accused her of sending a package containing drugs and held her under "digital arrest" for eight hours, demanding money and personal information. This incident highlights the increasing prevalence of cybercrimes in India, with the National Crime Records Bureau reporting a 18% increase in cybercrime cases in 2023-2024. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) is working to combat these scams through collaborations with international agencies and public awareness campaigns. However, experts emphasize that digital literacy remains a challenge, and scammers are adept at exploiting human psychology to trick victims into sharing sensitive information or money.