Bengaluru: A woman has been booked by the Cyber Crime Police for allegedly misusing a bank account to route ₹70.85 lakh suspected to be proceeds of cyber fraud, as part of a wider crackdown on mule accounts across Karnataka.
According to investigators, the accused obtained the current account details including net banking credentials and the linked mobile number of a man known to her family. She allegedly collected the information over WhatsApp in December 2025, claiming the account would be used for legitimate expenses related to foreign travel and adventure activities, while assuring that applicable taxes would be paid.
Police said the mobile number linked to the account was later changed without the account holder’s knowledge. On February 3, 2026, transactions totalling ₹70,85,137 were routed through the account. The funds are suspected to be part of a larger cyber fraud operation.
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The misuse came to light after officials from the cybercrime wing, acting on alerts received through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), visited the complainant’s residence for verification. A case has been registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Statewide mule account crackdown
The case is part of a broader statewide drive by the Karnataka Cyber Command targeting mule bank accounts and the organised networks that operate them. Officials said such accounts are used to receive, layer and transfer fraud proceeds quickly to avoid detection.
Since December 2025, police have identified 60 organised mule account cases. During the operation:
- 869 mule bank accounts were detected
- 8,788 complaints were linked to these accounts on NCRP
- Fraud transactions worth ₹85.05 crore were traced
- ₹13.43 crore has been successfully put on hold
Investigations revealed that mule herders systematically collect identity documents from unsuspecting individuals and open multiple bank accounts, often in the names of relatives. These accounts are then operated like a parallel financial network to move illicit funds across jurisdictions.
Arrests and seizures
So far, 68 key accused have been arrested in connection with mule operations. Police executed 32 search warrants and conducted 35 searches across different parts of the State.
During the raids, officers seized:
- 68 ATM cards
- 32 passbooks
- 35 mobile phones
- 37 cheque books
- 28 SIM cards
- Several other incriminating materials
Officials said the scale and structure of the network indicate a business-like model used to support multiple cyber fraud modules simultaneously.
Rising risk for account holders
Police warned that many individuals unknowingly become part of cybercrime chains by sharing bank credentials, SIM cards or identity documents. Once an account is used as a mule, the registered holder can face criminal liability, account freezes and financial losses.
Authorities have urged the public not to share bank login details, OTPs, SIM cards or account access with anyone, including acquaintances, and to report suspicious requests immediately.
The Cyber Command said the crackdown will continue in the coming weeks with a focus on dismantling remaining mule networks and tracing the masterminds behind the fraud operations.
