“‘Digital arrest’ scams represent a new form of cybercrime exploiting fear and authority rather than technology alone. Examine how kill switch mechanisms and cyber insurance can strengthen India’s response to such threats.”

Digital arrest scams are a problem. This is where bad people pretend to be police officers to scare people into giving them money. They use fear to get what they want from people in India who use the internet. These scams do not use fancy computer hacking. Instead they use intimidation and fake authority to get people to do what they want. This shows that people in India need to be more careful when they’re online and that the authorities need to act fast when these scams happen. Digital arrest scams are an issue because they take advantage of people who do not know much about the internet and how to stay safe online.

• Kill switch mechanisms let us block bank accounts, UPI services, SIM cards or devices away. This helps to stop a lot of money from being lost.
• The kill switch mechanisms change the way things are controlled. Now we can act at the time something is happening, not just after it has happened.
• This helps people to do something about a problem

• For kill switch mechanisms to really work, banks and telecom operators and fintech platforms and cybercrime cells all need to work on the kill switch mechanisms.
• Cyber insurance is really helpful because it works with technology to provide people with money to cover losses, help with issues and support to figure out what happened. This type of insurance helps people stay calm, makes them more likely to report problems away and makes individuals stronger when dealing with cyber issues. Cyber insurance is very important because it provides this kind of support and helps people deal with cyber problems.
• Together, kill switches and cyber insurance reflect a citizen-centric, anticipatory governance approach essential for protecting trust and security in India’s expanding digital infrastructure.

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About the Author: Jyoti Verma