Delhi Police’s cybercrime unit has apprehended two individuals, including a Nepali national, for operating an international cyber fraud syndicate. The operation used fake social media profiles and deceptive tactics to extract money from victims, with the accused providing bank accounts to overseas collaborators to facilitate the scams.
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From Facebook Friend Requests to Fraudulent Bank Transfers
The investigation began after a woman in Burari received a friend request on social media from someone claiming to be based in the U.K. When she accepted, the conversation moved to WhatsApp, and the culprit using an international number posed as a sender of expensive birthday gifts. He later impersonated a customs official, claiming the gifts had been seized and demanded ₹1.10 lakh for clearance. The victim paid the amount, but no gifts arrived, leading her to file a complaint with the North Delhi cyber cell.
Police identified two suspects: 37-year-old Santosh Rana, from Nepal, who allegedly recruited locals to open bank accounts for the ring; and Aslam, 22, from Delhi’s Dabri area, who acted as the account holder and received ₹1.10 lakh after a payment was made.
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A Multi-National Scheme Using Local Bank Accounts
Upon arresting Aslam on June 4 in Sitapuri and Dabri, officers discovered that Rana had convinced multiple locals to open bank accounts, promising them commissions of a few thousand rupees. These accounts were then provided to African nationals involved in the syndicate, who used them to collect fraudulent payments from victims. The Delhi Police are now working to identify and detain members from across the globe who orchestrated the broader network.
About the Author – Anirudh Mittal is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.