Shahdara district police have arrested a man for his role in a major cyber fraud, exposing how “mule accounts” are fuelling digital crime across the country. The accused, identified as Satyendra Kulshreshtha alias Sam, was picked up from Gurugram.
Police said Satyendra was in touch with cyber fraudsters through WhatsApp and Telegram groups and provided them with bank accounts used to channel fraudulent money.
How The Fraud Happened
The case came to light after a school teacher from Shahdara was duped of ₹24.49 lakh. She befriended a woman on social media who lured her into investing in a private company. Initially, small investments brought her some returns, but soon she was persuaded to make bigger deposits, ₹10 lakh, ₹5 lakh, and ₹1.5 lakh.
Once the victim tried to withdraw her money, her account was blocked and she realised she had been cheated. A police complaint was then registered.
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Police Investigation
During the technical probe, investigators traced the flow of money into bank accounts linked to the accused. Interrogation revealed that Satyendra had been supplying mule accounts to cybercriminals for the past two years, earning up to ₹50,000 per account.
Police said Satyendra had studied B.Sc. at Agra University and later worked as a security guard in a private firm. After moving to Delhi-NCR for odd jobs, he came in contact with cybercriminals who offered him quick money in exchange for bank accounts.
A senior officer said, “This case shows that cybercrime is not just about tech-savvy fraudsters. There are facilitators who provide bank accounts, mobile numbers, or IDs that make large-scale fraud possible. Without them, such scams cannot flourish.”
Expert’s Advice
Cybersecurity expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh highlighted the dangers of mule accounts. “Mule accounts are the backbone of cyber fraud. Many times, unemployed youth or people looking for quick money rent out their accounts to criminals. They think it’s harmless, but legally it makes them part of a criminal conspiracy.”
He further added, “If you notice unknown transactions from your account, report it immediately to the bank and police. Remember, a little greed can turn you into an accused in money laundering and cybercrime cases.”
This case once again highlights how cyber fraud is sustained by an entire ecosystem where facilitators play as crucial a role as the masterminds behind the scams.