GHAZIABAD— In a sweeping operation across social platforms, Ghaziabad’s cybercrime division has successfully shuttered 361 fake Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram accounts used to perpetrate online scams. Authorities say the move targets “task-based” and telecom phishing rings responsible for siphoning off more than ₹133 crore from residents over the past 17 months.
Social Media Under Scrutiny
The crackdown began after cyber cell officials reviewed cases filed between January 27, 2024, and June 30, 2025, identifying over 500 suspect accounts tied to online deception. Of these, 361 were ordered closed after evidence of use in fraud. Dozens more are pending action. Police also traced 12,015 mobile numbers linked to these channels and successfully deactivated them to prevent further misuse.
Since the cyber division’s formal launch on January 21, 2024, Ghaziabad has registered 513 cyber-fraud cases, with 145 following through by mid-July this year. Authorities say over 4,775 bank accounts, used to launder scam proceeds, have been frozen.
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Tracking Money and Recovering Funds
Investigations revealed scammers diverted money into a network of mule accounts before moving funds across layers. The police froze accounts following victim complaints, recovering ₹29 crore to date, though the total fraud across registered cases exceeds ₹133.81 crore.
“Closing these accounts disrupts the pipeline scammers use to lure victims,” said ADC Crime Satchidanand. “Our cyber cell continues to comb through emerging fraud rings and is working to deactivate another 250+ accounts.” Vigilance includes monitoring messaging platforms and rapid takedown of suspicious profiles.
This effort marks one of the most systematic closures of scam-linked accounts in the region’s history, generating renewed public awareness on the growing intersection of social media and cybercrime.
