5 Things You Need to Know About the New Digital Arrest Law
- This law makes it a crime to impersonate a police officer or government official during a video call to demand money or personal data. Scammers are already using this tactic to fake arrests.
- The law gives police new powers to freeze your bank accounts for up to 72 hours without a warrant if they suspect you are a victim of a digital arrest scam, aiming to stop funds from leaving the country.
- Tech companies are now required by law to install real-time scam detection tools on their platforms to alert users if a call is suspected of being a 'digital arrest' fraud.
- There's a strict 10-minute rule: If police do not physically arrive at your door within 10 minutes of a digital arrest claim, the law says the suspect must be released and the scam is invalid.
- Crucially for citizens, the law includes a legal right to a recorded, physical verification call from a local police station before any digital arrest can be enforced. This is your primary defense.