Lucknow Police uncovered a gang involved in supplying fake and forged SIM cards to cybercriminals. The racket came to light after the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) flagged suspicious mobile numbers and alerted the police.
Investigations revealed that these SIM cards were not only fueling cyber fraud within India but were also being misused across South and East Asian networks for financial scams.
How the Network Operated
Police officials said the SIM cards were issued during the post-sale process using forged identity documents. The mastermind of the racket has been identified as Farhan, who allegedly supplied these SIM cards to fraudsters and organized cyber gangs.
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According to the cyber cell, these SIMs were being used for OTP fraud, online banking scams, phishing attempts, and other financial crimes, making them the backbone of various digital fraud operations.
Police Action and Investigation
Considering the seriousness of the case, the cyber cell lodged an FIR at Gomtinagar police station. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has also been roped into the investigation to examine how retailers and agents facilitated the fake SIM issuance.
Police are now tracing the chain of vendors and middlemen involved in the racket, aiming to dismantle the larger network that enables cybercriminals to exploit loopholes in telecom services.
Expert Opinion: A Threat Beyond Local Crime
Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh underlined the larger implications of the case. He said:
“Fake SIM cards are the backbone of cybercrime. Unless the supply chain is dismantled, fraud cases will continue to rise. This is not merely a local issue but one linked to national security.”
This case highlights how cybercrime infrastructure often begins with something as basic as SIM cards, and why stringent checks in telecom services are crucial to curbing financial frauds across India.