Prayagraj Police Cracks Rs 2 Crore WhatsApp Scam, Arrests Mastermind; Minister’s Son Was Victim

The Prayagraj Cyber Crime Police, under the guidance of the Uttar Pradesh Police Cyber Crime Headquarters, arrested four individuals involved in a Rs 2.08 crore fraud. This gang orchestrated a well-planned scam by posing as high-ranking officials on WhatsApp, deceiving victims into transferring large sums of money.

The case came to light when the victim received a WhatsApp message purportedly from a minister’s son. The message, claiming to set up a business deal, requested the transfer of funds for processing important documents. Persuaded by the fake identity, the victim transferred Rs 2.08 crore across three transactions, as instructed via WhatsApp.

Upon realizing the fraud, the victim approached the Prayagraj Cyber Crime Police, prompting an immediate investigation. A case was registered under IPC sections 419, 420, 66D of the IT Act, and other relevant provisions.

The Modus Operandi

Interrogation of the accused revealed that the gang operated in a multi-tier structure:

1. Foreign Operations: At the first level, associates based in Southeast Asian countries (such as Laos, Thailand, and Nepal) executed social engineering campaigns, creating fake WhatsApp profiles and targeting victims with fabricated stories.
2. Domestic Agents: These agents, based in India, opened multiple bank accounts using counterfeit documents like PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, and voter IDs. They linked these accounts to mobile numbers and email IDs to facilitate seamless money laundering.
3. Fraudulent Transactions: The gang lured victims into transferring funds by creating an aura of urgency and authenticity. Upon receiving the money, the domestic agents used advanced techniques like spoofing and identity masking to redirect the funds to international accounts. Sophisticated methods ensured that the perpetrators’ identities remained hidden, making detection difficult.

The investigation revealed that the gang used fake OTPs and cloned accounts to bypass security protocols, enabling swift transfers to foreign accounts.

Arrests and Recovery

The arrested individuals have been identified as:

1. Divyansh Kumar (24), resident of Kanpur district.
2. Pulkit Kumar (20), resident of Chandauli district.
3. Sanjay Kumar (41), resident of Bareilly district.
4. Sujit Kumar (28), resident of Bareilly district.

Police recovered 14 mobile phones, 10 ATM cards, and 10 SIM cards from the gang. These devices were critical in carrying out the fraud and laundering money across accounts.

Police Response

The operation was led by Inspector Rajeev Kumar Tiwari and his team, who worked tirelessly to track the suspects using digital forensics and intelligence gathering. The Prayagraj Cyber Crime Police commended the efforts of their officers in dismantling the gang, which had a history of scamming innocent citizens across multiple states.

ALSO READ: Nominate Top CISOs for Prestigious FutureCrime Summit 2025 Honors

Impact and Further Action

As a result of this operation, Rs 12,22,452 has been frozen in bank accounts linked to the fraud. Police are working to identify other members of the network and have intensified efforts to trace the remaining funds. Public awareness campaigns are being planned to educate citizens about identifying and avoiding such scams.

The Prayagraj Cyber Crime Police urges citizens to remain vigilant against cyber fraud. Report any suspicious activities or fraud attempts immediately to the helpline number 1930 or register a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in.

Follow The420.in on

 Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube