Gautam Buddh Nagar: Cyber Crime Police in Greater Noida have arrested four members of a gang that allegedly posed as employees of Indraprastha Gas Limited to cheat people by threatening them over unpaid gas bills and sending fraudulent payment links. The accused allegedly defrauded a senior citizen of ₹21.27 lakh through multiple unauthorised transactions.
Fake Gas Bill Threat Used
According to police, a complaint was filed on March 9 by 61-year-old Gyanib Kalra, a resident of Bisrakh. He reported receiving a call on March 1 from an individual claiming to be an IGL employee.
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The caller allegedly warned him that his gas connection would be disconnected due to unpaid dues and pressured him to immediately clear the bill.
The victim was then sent a payment link. Police said that as soon as he entered his banking details, the accused allegedly gained unauthorised access to his bank account.
Money Routed Through Credit Cards
Police said the fraudsters siphoned off ₹21,26,835 through 11 separate transactions, routing the money through multiple credit card accounts.
Following an investigation, cyber police arrested four accused identified as Sachin Kumar, Shahnawaz Sheikh, Shivam Pandey and Shubham Kumar Singh from different locations in Gautam Buddh Nagar and nearby areas.
Police said Shivam Pandey and Shubham Kumar Singh allegedly supplied stolen or misused credit card details to the fraud network. In return, they reportedly received commissions ranging from 10% to 20%.
Network Links Under Probe
Investigators found that the stolen funds were transferred through multiple credit cards, including ₹1.49 lakh in Sachin Kumar’s account and ₹4.78 lakh in Shahnawaz Sheikh’s account.
Authorities said Sachin Kumar, a 12th-pass individual, works as a relationship manager at a private bank, while Shahnawaz Sheikh is employed as a digital marketing professional in a private company. Shivam Pandey reportedly works as a waiter, and Shubham Kumar Singh is currently unemployed.
Police have urged citizens not to click on unknown links received through calls or messages that claim urgent payment demands for utilities such as gas or electricity. Officials advised users to verify all billing information only through official company apps or websites before making payments.
Investigations are continuing to identify other members of the network and trace additional financial transactions linked to the alleged fraud.
