expression, godan verb (-ru)
fall victim to; get into the clutches of
Idiomatic expression meaning to be ensnared or victimized by someone or something dangerous, often with a nuance of being trapped by a scheme or a harmful person. The image is of being caught by poisonous fangs.
See also: 毒牙 (どくが)
詐欺師の毒牙にかかって、貯金を全部取られた。
He fell victim to a con artist and lost all his savings.
彼女は悪質な商法の毒牙にかかった。
She got caught in the clutches of a shady business scheme.