Gurugram cyber police have arrested a telecom Point of Sale agent from Kanpur for allegedly misusing customers’ KYC documents and live photographs to activate additional SIM cards without their knowledge and supply them to cybercriminals.
The accused, identified as Vinay Sharma, was arrested from Kanpur on September 30. Police allege that he supplied around 50 SIM cards to cyber fraud networks over roughly six months and received approximately ₹1 lakh in return.
His alleged role surfaced during the investigation of a separate ₹1.71 lakh cyber fraud involving a Gurugram-based cooking oil manufacturer who had attempted to purchase 2,000 kg of peanuts.
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KYC Documents Allegedly Reused to Activate Extra SIM Cards
According to Haryana Police, Sharma was working as a Point of Sale agent for telecom operator Vi.
A POS agent is authorised to process new mobile connections and verify customer identity documents.
Police allege that Sharma exploited this access.
When customers approached him for legitimate SIM connections, he allegedly collected their KYC documents and live photographs as part of the standard verification process.
The same information was then allegedly reused to activate additional SIM cards without the customers’ knowledge or consent.
Those numbers were subsequently passed to cybercriminals through associates, investigators said.
The method is particularly dangerous because a customer may have no immediate reason to suspect that another mobile number has been issued in their name.
The problem may surface only when that number is linked to a cybercrime complaint or appears in telecom records.
₹1.71 Lakh Peanut Purchase Fraud Led Police to SIM Supplier
The alleged SIM supply network emerged during the investigation of an unrelated commercial fraud.
Police said a Gurugram-based cooking oil manufacturer had been looking to purchase peanuts for his business.
He was put in contact with a purported supplier and agreed to buy 2,000 kg of peanuts.
On January 29, the complainant transferred ₹1.71 lakh as payment after being assured that the consignment would be delivered to Gurugram.
The alleged seller continued telling him that the goods had been dispatched.
However, the peanuts never arrived.
After the seller eventually stopped responding, the businessman approached Cyber Crime Police Station West in Gurugram on February 13 and a case was registered.
Investigators then began tracing the mobile number allegedly used during the fraud.
That technical trail eventually led them to Sharma.
Police Say SIM Used in Fraud Was Supplied by Accused
According to police, the Vi number used in the ₹1.71 lakh fraud had allegedly been obtained through Sharma.
Investigators examined telecom records and other technical evidence before arresting him from Kanpur.
During questioning, Sharma allegedly disclosed that he had been supplying SIM cards to cybercriminals for around six months.
Police claim he had supplied approximately 50 numbers during that period.
For doing so, he allegedly received around ₹1 lakh in payments or commissions.
The allegations remain under investigation and have not been established in court.
Why Fraudulent SIM Cards Matter in Cybercrime Networks
Mobile numbers are a critical piece of infrastructure for cyber fraud.
Fraudsters use them to contact victims, create messaging accounts, register digital services and sometimes receive OTPs or other authentication messages.
Using a SIM registered in somebody else’s name creates another layer between investigators and the people actually operating the number.
When police initially trace the SIM, telecom records may point to an innocent person whose identity documents were misused.
Cybercrime networks frequently combine such SIM cards with mule bank accounts and other identities to make investigations more difficult.
The Indian Express, in a separate investigation into organised cybercrime networks, previously reported that fraud groups often rely on specialised people to arrange SIM cards, bank accounts and other logistical infrastructure while different members handle victim calls and money withdrawals.
In the Gurugram case, investigators are now trying to establish exactly who received the SIM cards allegedly supplied by Sharma and which cyber offences were committed using them.
Police Examine Wider Network and Customer Identities
The investigation has now moved beyond the single peanut-purchase fraud.
Police are examining how many customers’ KYC documents were allegedly misused and how many unauthorised mobile connections may have been created in their names.
Investigators are also analysing Sharma’s bank transactions, mobile records, SIM activation history and communications with suspected associates.
The aim is to identify the entire supply chain through which the numbers allegedly reached cybercriminals.
Police are also expected to compare the numbers with records on cybercrime complaint databases to determine whether they appear in other fraud cases.
Any such connection will have to be separately investigated.
The case highlights an increasingly important aspect of cybercrime enforcement: investigators are not only targeting people who directly contact victims, but also those suspected of supplying the digital infrastructure that allows fraud networks to operate.
What this means for you
Regularly check how many mobile connections are registered in your name through the Department of Telecommunications’ official services. If you find an unfamiliar number linked to your identity, report it immediately and contact your telecom provider, as unauthorised SIMs can be used in cyber fraud without your knowledge.
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