AnyDesk Police Scam: Why Real Law Enforcement Never Asks for Screen Sharing

AnyDesk is popular because: (1) It's a legitimate app available on Google Play, making victims trust it more, (2) Setup is extremely fast - just 2 minutes from download to full access, (3) The 9-digit code system is simple for even non-tech-savvy victims, (4) It works on weak internet connections common in India, (5) Unlike some apps, it doesn't trigger strong security warnings on newer Android versions. Scammers also use TeamViewer and QuickSupport, but AnyDesk dominates because of its simplicity and reliability from the scammer's perspective.

NO, you are NOT safe yet. Even if no money was stolen immediately, scammers may have: (1) Installed hidden spyware/keyloggers to track your passwords, (2) Noted down your bank account details, credit card numbers, and UPI PINs, (3) Accessed and saved sensitive photos or documents for blackmail later, (4) Created backdoor access to control your phone again in future. Take emergency actions NOW: Uninstall AnyDesk, change ALL passwords, enable 2FA everywhere, monitor bank statements daily for next 30 days, consider factory reset if they had access for more than 5 minutes. Also file FIR on cybercrime.gov.in - even if no theft happened yet, attempted fraud is a crime and your report prevents them from targeting others.

Uninstalling AnyDesk DOES break their remote access - they cannot control your screen anymore through AnyDesk. HOWEVER: If they were in your phone for more than 2-3 minutes, they may have installed ADDITIONAL malware or spyware apps that continue running in background. Red flags that malware might still be present: Battery draining faster than usual, Phone getting hot even when idle, Unknown apps appearing in app list, Data usage spiking unexpectedly, Phone slowing down suddenly. SAFEST ACTION: Factory reset your phone. Before reset: Backup only photos/videos to external storage (not apps or data), Change all passwords from a different device, Then perform factory reset, After reset, DO NOT restore from old backup (it may contain malware), Reinstall apps fresh from Play Store, Change passwords again after reset.

IMMEDIATE STEPS (do in this order): (1) Take their phone and turn off WiFi + mobile data immediately, (2) Force stop and uninstall AnyDesk/TeamViewer from Settings → Apps, (3) Call their bank from YOUR phone - freeze all their accounts temporarily, (4) Check their bank statement for any unauthorized transactions in last 24 hours, (5) If money was stolen, report on cybercrime.gov.in WITHIN 1 HOUR using their Aadhaar - faster reporting increases recovery chances, (6) Change passwords for their: Bank apps, UPI apps, Email, Government portals (UMANG, DigiLocker), (7) Enable 2FA on all accounts, (8) Visit nearest police station with your parent within 24 hours with: Their Aadhaar card, Bank statements showing fraud, Scammer's phone number, Screenshots if available. PREVENTION FOR FUTURE: Set up their phone with parental controls preventing app installation without your permission, Add your number as emergency contact in all their banking apps, Brief their bank about elderly parent protection - many banks have special fraud monitoring for senior citizens.

There's NO LIMIT - they can steal everything in your accessible accounts. Typical timeline: First 5 minutes: UPI transfers (₹40,000-₹1 lakh per day limit across apps), Next 10 minutes: Net banking transfers (can be lakhs depending on your account balance), Next 15 minutes: If you have investment apps (Groww, Zerodha, Upstox), they sell stocks and transfer proceeds, Within 30 minutes: Apply for instant loans in your name using apps like KreditBee, MoneyTap, Final stage: If you have credit cards saved in Amazon/Flipkart, they make expensive purchases and request instant delivery. Largest reported loss in 2025: ₹47 lakhs from a business owner who had multiple high-balance accounts accessible via UPI. Average loss: ₹2-8 lakhs per victim. This is why the "turn off internet IMMEDIATELY" step is so critical - it literally stops the bleeding the moment you cut their access.

Many victims struggle to accept they were scammed, especially if the caller was very convincing. Use these gentle but firm approaches: (1) Call the REAL police/CBI number together: Dial 011-24368800 (CBI) or local police station and ask if there's any case registered in your family member's name. When they say "No record found," reality will hit, (2) Show them Supreme Court press releases about digital arrest scam warnings - search "Supreme Court digital arrest scam" and show official PIB (Press Information Bureau) posts, (3) Explain that AnyDesk is explicitly mentioned by RBI, TRAI, and MHA in their scam warning circulars - real police would never use an app that their own ministry warns against, (4) Show them news articles of similar victims - when they see 100s of identical stories, the pattern becomes clear, (5) If they're still resistant, ask them to call their lawyer/CA/trusted friend who can explain this from third-party perspective. DO NOT shame them or say "how could you fall for this" - scammers are professional manipulators. Focus on: "This is sophisticated crime, you're not alone, let's fix it together" approach.