Delhi Police have busted a cyber fraud network linked to transactions worth over Rs 30 crore — yaani more than Rs 300 million moving through suspected accounts — and arrested seven people in connection with an online shopping scam, officials of the North District police said on Monday, October 26.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
The case came to light after Fatima, a student of Ramjas College at Delhi University who hails from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, reported being cheated of Rs 6,450 through an Instagram shopping advertisement. Her complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) led to an FIR at the Cyber Police Station, North District, on September 4, police said.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
According to the complaint, the student saw a kurti advertised on an Instagram account named ‘Kavya_kurti_hub’ and was redirected to a WhatsApp number, where she placed an order worth Rs 799 and paid Rs 400 in advance through a QR code. She was then called about parcel delivery and asked for a passcode, and was allegedly induced to transfer Rs 1,150, Rs 2,000, Rs 2,650 and Rs 650 in separate payments on the pretext of generating the code and a refundable charge. Neither the parcel nor a refund ever arrived, police said.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Raids in Greater Noida and Kanpur
Investigators analysed nearly 200 mobile numbers and IMEI numbers, along with banking transactions and digital records from platforms and service providers including Flipkart, Zomato and Blue Dart. The money trail led through Pine Labs Merchant to a Canara Bank account linked to Kizentech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Greater Noida. After extensive technical surveillance, police raided locations in Greater Noida on October 16 and arrested six accused — Aditya Mishra, Ayush Verma, Abhishek Pal, Himanshu Rana, Rahul Kumar and Gaurav Pandey. A seventh accused, Udit Pratap Singh Bhadauriya, was arrested from Kanpur on October 21.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Police said 27 cyber fraud complaints from different states have so far been linked to the network, and about 25 bank accounts allegedly opened in the names of fictitious firms and individuals were used to route the proceeds. The accused allegedly set up firms and opened current accounts that were supplied to other members of the syndicate for monthly payments and commissions; Pandey, an MBA graduate, allegedly played a key role in arranging and supplying bank accounts. All of these are allegations under investigation, police said.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Police recovered 20 mobile phones, 45 SIM cards, 39 point-of-sale machines, 33 debit cards, 28 cheque books, 15 scanners, two laptops, five stamps, seven Aadhaar cards, five PAN cards and 21 bank-related documents. The operation was conducted by a team led by Sub-Inspector Arvind Yadav under the supervision of senior North District officers, and further investigation is underway to identify more members of the network and links to other cyber fraud cases, police said.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Do not pay through QR codes to unverified sellers, and never make extra payments on ‘passcode’ or ‘refundable charge’ pretexts — a common fraud trigger. Report suspected cyber fraud immediately on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.