A college professor lost almost $500,000 after scammers posing as Indian government officials convinced her she was tied to a money laundering investigation and had to submit to round-the-clock video surveillance.
The woman, identified only as L.P. to protect her privacy and professional reputation, is an Indian American former Bay Area resident who now lives in New England, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The scam unfolded over several weeks this spring and used a tactic known in India as a “digital arrest,” where victims are made to believe they must stay under video monitoring to prove they are cooperating with authorities.
L.P. was not under investigation. By the time she realized the calls were fraudulent, she had transferred almost all her life savings, including retirement money from a previous job, a $50,000 loan from her 401(k), and money from an account she shared with her mother.
The First Call Claimed to Come From India’s Consulate
This scam, which has proliferated in immigrant communities, involves criminals impersonating the San Francisco consul general while linking victims to broad money laundering investigations. https://t.co/E1b81Z5Ttn
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) July 3, 2026
The scam began when a woman called L.P. and introduced herself as the vice consul general of India in San Francisco, near where L.P. used to live.
The call then shifted into a supposed law enforcement matter involving Indian authorities. On video, L.P. saw a man dressed as an Indian police officer sitting in what appeared to be a police station. Another man, who introduced himself as Officer Shaktivel, then spoke with her.
The caller read out L.P.’s real passport number. That personal detail made the call feel legitimate.
The scammers claimed there was a warrant for her immediate arrest and said her name had been linked to a major money laundering case involving a criminal syndicate.
The Scammers Kept Her Under Video Surveillance
The fake officer told L.P. the case fell under India’s National Secrets Act and ordered her not to discuss it with anyone while the investigation was active.
She was then placed under constant video monitoring. While she slept alone in her apartment, a phone screen showing a New Delhi police logo remained active, with a man claiming to be the night officer watching her.
When she left home, she was required to send a selfie. She sent another when she arrived at work. She avoided calling her mother and close friends because she believed their phones might be tapped.
The Chronicle reported that the scam appears to have first emerged in the U.S. this year and has targeted Indian nationals and Indian Americans by impersonating Indian government authorities, including the consul general in San Francisco.
The “Forensic Audit” Drained Her Savings
Two days into the scheme, the scammers sent L.P. an agreement that listed the alleged crimes and the rules she had to follow to avoid extradition.
They told her an Indian bank needed to conduct a “forensic audit” of her U.S. financial holdings to determine whether her money had been lawfully acquired. L.P. believed the process could clear her name.
Over two weeks, she withdrew money from her Citibank account and sent funds as instructed. The Chronicle reported that she wired money to a New Jersey bank called Cross River as part of transfers through a cryptocurrency application.
The scammers also coached her on what to say when Citibank contacted her as part of its fraud-prevention process.
Other Victims Were Targeted the Same Way
The Chronicle reported that the Consulate General of India in San Francisco has provided guidance to multiple victims, including by advising them to file police reports.
Santa Clara police and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said six people had reported being targeted by the scam, with at least one person losing money.
The Chronicle also spoke with Bhawna Dewan, an Indian immigrant in California who said she was placed under 24-hour video surveillance through Microsoft Teams for two weeks.
Dewan transferred $2,000 before finding a Reddit post that described the same scam. She said the post helped her realize she was being deceived.
The Safest Check Is Outside the Call
The Chronicle reported that the Consulate General of India in San Francisco has warned about fraudulent calls impersonating the consulate. Anyone who receives a call claiming to be from the consulate can end the call and contact the office through the official contact information listed on the consulate’s website, not through a number provided by the caller.
The Federal Trade Commission says real government agencies do not threaten people, order them to move money to “protect it,” or tell them to withdraw cash, buy gold, or send money to prove their innocence.
A demand for secrecy is another reason to stop the conversation. Anyone told not to call family, a bank, local police, a consulate, or another trusted contact can pause before sending money and verify the claim through an official public number or website.
People who sent money after a government impersonation call should contact their bank, wire service, cryptocurrency platform, or payment app immediately and report the scam to local law enforcement and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.