New Delhi: Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has dismantled a sextortion module operating across multiple states, arresting two key players linked to over 60 complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The racket defrauded more than 100 people through a network involving fake call centers, fraudulently activated SIM cards, and synthetic bank accounts.
SIM Card Scam: Aadhaar Biometrics Misused for Sextortion
One of the arrested individuals, Manish alias Himanshu, was a point-of-sale (POS) agent for a telecom company. He exploited his access to Aadhaar-linked biometric data to issue duplicate SIM cards without the knowledge or consent of the original holders. By falsely claiming biometric scan failures, he activated unauthorized SIMs and sold them to cybercriminals involved in sextortion and financial fraud.
According to DCP (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam, these SIMs were then used to operate fake loan call centres and impersonation-based extortion schemes. During the raid, police recovered five active SIM cards linked to Manish and traced them to complaints lodged by victims from across India.
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Youth from Rajasthan Supplied Fake Accounts, Earned Lakhs in Commission
The second accused, 20-year-old Vipin Kumar from Alwar, Rajasthan, was arrested after being caught near RK Ashram metro station while delivering a synthetic bank account kit and debit card to an accomplice. During interrogation, Vipin confessed that he had been recruited via social media in November 2024 by a man named Jahid.
Promised a 20% commission per transaction and luxurious perks such as free stays and travel, Vipin delivered at least eight synthetic bank accounts—three created using his own identity. He admitted to earning approximately ₹6 lakh, which he spent on high-end hotels, nightlife, and branded shopping in Delhi.
Police believe these accounts were used to route money collected through sextortion, where victims were coerced into transferring funds after being threatened with fake legal cases, often by individuals posing as police officers.
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Organised Network Used Social Media Analysts and Impersonators
Investigators have found that the racket operated as a highly organised network involving role-specific members. These included fake social media analysts who scanned user profiles for potential targets, trained extortionists who made threatening calls, and impersonators who posed as law enforcement officials to coerce payments under false pretences.
According to ACP Anil Sharma, the SIM cards and synthetic bank accounts recovered during the operation have been linked to at least 60 cybercrime complaints and four FIRs from different parts of the country. The investigation is ongoing, with police working to track down additional members of the network and identify more victims.
Police have urged the public to avoid sharing personal or financial information over the phone and to immediately report suspicious calls or messages to the National Cyber Crime Portal (cybercrime.gov.in).
