Cyber Crime
Cyber Fraud Ring Busted: 13 Agents Arrested for SIM Card Scam in Chhattisgarh
Raipur: In a major breakthrough against cyber fraud, Chhattisgarh police have dismantled a fraudulent SIM card racket operating under the guise of telecom agents. As part of the Cyber Shield Operation, authorities arrested 13 individuals involved in procuring fake SIM cards, which were later used for fraudulent transactions, including money laundering and cybercrimes.
The Modus Operandi
These agents, including 11 Airtel and 2 Jio representatives, exploited unsuspecting customers by cloning their fingerprints during new SIM card registrations. They then used these stolen biometrics to issue additional SIM cards without the customers’ knowledge.
These illegally obtained SIM cards were later found to be used in fraudulent bank transactions, digital scams, and cross-border cybercrime activities, particularly in countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Myanmar.
Crackdown and Seizures
During the raid, police recovered:
- 7,063 SIM cards suspected to have been issued using forged identities.
- 590 fingerprint scanners used to clone customers’ biometric data.
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Prime Suspects & Legal Action
The arrested suspects include individuals from various districts such as Rajnandgaon, Raipur, and Durg. Among them are mobile shop owners, internet café operators, and SIM card vendors who facilitated these illegal transactions.
All 13 accused have been taken into judicial custody, and further investigations are underway to **trace the network’s links with organized cybercrime syndicates.
A Wake-Up Call for Telecom Security
This incident highlights the urgent need for stricter telecom regulations and better security mechanisms to prevent misuse of biometric data. Authorities have urged telecom service providers to implement enhanced verification processes to curb such fraudulent activities in the future.