Police in Gurugram arrested 14 people during a week-long crackdown on cyber fraud operations involving digital arrest threats, fraudulent investment and trading schemes, task-based scams and fake challan links. The arrests were made between August 3 and 9 as cybercrime teams investigated fraud networks allegedly operating across different states and targeting victims through calls, messages, links and mobile applications.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of ACP Cyber Crime Gaurav Phogat. Police said the cases reflected several fraud methods currently being reported in the city, including fake investment tips, trading applications promising quick returns, WhatsApp messages offering money for completing online tasks, and callers impersonating government officials.
Four Types of Cyber Fraud Targeted in Crackdown
The arrests covered four categories of fraud that police said have become prominent in Gurugram’s cybercrime landscape: investment fraud, task-based fraud, fake challan-link fraud and trading fraud.
According to police, fraudsters use different approaches to persuade victims to transfer money or interact with fraudulent platforms. Some schemes begin with investment tips or applications promising quick returns, while others offer payments for completing apparently simple online tasks.
Fake challan links and unsolicited messages are also being used to draw potential victims into fraudulent transactions. Police have cautioned people against clicking suspicious links or installing applications circulated in the name of investment schemes, trading platforms or paid online tasks.
Despite the arrest of 14 people, police recovered only one mobile phone during the operation. Investigators said this reflected the limited digital footprint left by some fraud networks while allegedly extracting substantial amounts of money from victims.
Digital Arrest Scams Use Fear of Criminal Charges
Police also renewed their warning about so-called digital arrest fraud, in which scammers impersonate officials from agencies such as the CBI, police or NCB and threaten victims with arrest over fabricated criminal allegations.
Victims may be forced to remain on video calls for hours and pressured into transferring money because they fear the criminal charges described by the fraudsters.
Police said such impersonation scams form part of the wider range of cyber fraud techniques being investigated. The authorities have advised citizens not to trust unsolicited calls or messages received from unknown numbers.
The warning follows cases in which callers allegedly present themselves as government officials and use threats of legal action to create pressure for immediate payment.
Cyber Police Continue Hunt for Interstate Networks
Cybercrime police teams said their action against fraudsters operating across various states is continuing. Investigators are relying on technical investigation to trace suspects who may operate far from the people they target.
Police said this pattern has contributed to Gurugram becoming a hub for cybercrime cases while many of those allegedly responsible operate from other locations.
Authorities have advised citizens to remain cautious about investment offers, trading platforms, paid-task schemes and links received through unsolicited messages. People have also been urged to avoid installing unfamiliar applications or acting on instructions from unknown callers.
Police advised residents to report suspicious cyber activity through the National Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930.
