The cyber crime unit of Goa Police has arrested a Kerala resident in connection with a ₹67-lakh online investment fraud, underscoring the expanding reach of digital scams even as the force unveiled a new intelligence centre aimed at faster, tech-driven investigations.
The case stems from a complaint by a resident of Caranzalem in Tiswadi, who alleged that he was duped between October 1 and October 24, 2025, after being contacted on WhatsApp by a person posing as an employee of a purported investment firm named PIHU Urban Leather. The fraudster promised high returns through an investment scheme branded “DeepGTP Global ETF Investments” and persuaded the victim to transact through a fake trading application, officials said.
Investigators said the scheme relied on impersonation of a reputed investment entity, slick digital interfaces and constant messaging to build trust before siphoning off funds. Once the money was transferred, access to the application was restricted and communication tapered off, prompting the victim to approach the police.
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Following technical analysis of call data records, IP trails and bank transactions, the cyber crime team traced a key suspect to Thiruvananthapuram. A police team travelled to Kerala and arrested Anuraj R, a resident of the city. He was later produced before a court and remanded in police custody.
Financial scrutiny revealed that ₹28 lakh from the complainant’s funds landed in the accused’s bank account at the first layer, before being routed through multiple accounts allegedly belonging to associates. “Layering” of funds—where money is rapidly moved across accounts to obscure origins—has become a hallmark of organised cyber fraud, investigators said.
Further analysis indicated that the same bank account was linked to at least four other cyber fraud cases reported in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Goa, involving a cumulative fraud amount of ₹54.4 lakh. Police are now examining whether the accused was a mule operator or an active recruiter within a larger syndicate.
The arrest comes as Goa Police announced the launch of a dedicated intelligence centre designed to compress investigation timelines by integrating cyber forensics, financial intelligence and inter-state coordination under one roof. The facility is expected to enable quicker identification of suspects, faster freezing of suspect accounts and seamless sharing of actionable inputs with banks and other state police units.
Cyber crime officials said the centre will prioritise real-time monitoring of digital footprints, including phishing domains, malicious apps and social media handles used to lure victims. With fraudsters increasingly exploiting popular messaging platforms and app-based interfaces, investigators believe the new setup will help pre-empt scams and improve recovery rates.
Police reiterated advisories to the public to remain cautious of unsolicited investment offers promising guaranteed or unusually high returns, verify the credentials of firms through official regulators, and avoid downloading trading applications shared via private messages or links. Victims were urged to report incidents immediately to enable swift account freezes.
Meanwhile, custodial interrogation of the accused is ongoing to identify associates, trace additional money trails and establish the full scale of the network. Officials said further arrests cannot be ruled out as investigators expand the probe across states and examine links to other reported cases.
The case highlights both the sophistication of modern cyber frauds and the growing emphasis on intelligence-led policing to counter them, as Goa Police seeks to tighten the net around digital scam networks operating across state lines.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
