Raipur: The Raipur Range Police have arrested two Point of Sale agents under Operation Cyber Shield for allegedly misusing customers’ biometric information to activate unauthorised SIM cards and sell them to cyber fraudsters. Investigators said the fraudulently activated SIM cards were later used in multiple cybercrime cases, including social media-based sextortion and fake lottery scams.
Two POS Agents Arrested
The arrested accused have been identified as Umesh Prajapati, 23, of Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh, and Manoj Dewangan, 29, of Khairagarh in Chhattisgarh.
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Police said both accused operated mobile and telecom outlets in their respective areas. They were produced before a court and have been remanded to judicial custody.
According to the Raipur Range Police, the investigation originated from two separate cyber fraud cases that led officers to the alleged fake SIM card network.
Fake SIMs Linked To Sextortion And KBC Scam
In the first case, Tejram Pathak, a resident of Gariaband district, allegedly lost ₹7.90 lakh after accepting a Facebook friend request that led to a WhatsApp video call.
Investigators said the fraudsters allegedly morphed his video into obscene clips and threatened to upload them on YouTube unless he paid money. A case was registered at Indagaon Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The second case involved a fake Kaun Banega Crorepati prize scam. According to police, victim Pramod Kumar Tripathi was allegedly deceived into transferring money on the pretext of taxes and processing charges after being falsely told that he had won a lottery.
During investigation of both cases, police traced the use of fraudulently activated SIM cards, leading them to the alleged SIM card racket.
Biometric Misuse Under Investigation
Police claim that during interrogation, the accused admitted to duplicating customers’ biometric data, including thumb impressions and eye-blink authentication, during routine e-KYC procedures.
Investigators allege that these duplicated credentials were later used to activate additional SIM cards without the knowledge or consent of customers. In cases where customers submitted physical copies of Aadhaar cards, the accused allegedly used digital KYC to generate unauthorised mobile connections.
According to investigators, these unauthorised SIM cards were allegedly sold to cyber criminals at premium prices and later used in online frauds, extortion schemes and financial crimes.
Police are now trying to identify other agents, intermediaries and organised cybercrime networks allegedly linked to the operation. They are also examining the total number of fraudulently activated SIM cards.
Cybercrime expert Prof. Triveni Singh said illegally activated SIM cards have become one of the primary tools used by cyber criminals to conceal their identities. He advised telecom service providers, POS agents and consumers to remain vigilant during KYC procedures and immediately report suspicious activity.
The Raipur Range Police have urged citizens to avoid accepting friend requests from unknown individuals, refrain from answering unsolicited video calls and remain cautious of lottery or television game show prize offers demanding advance payments.
