Kanpur | A major inter-state illegal online gaming scam operated through cloned applications has been exposed by police, revealing a sophisticated network driven by foreign connections, luxury incentives, and high-stakes gambling used to recruit and retain agents.
According to Barra police, the entire syndicate was being controlled from Dubai, while key operators were based in Delhi, Noida, and Haryana. Investigations have so far identified 74 fake branches of the racket operating across various districts of Uttar Pradesh.
FCRF Returns With CDPO, Its Premier Data Protection Certification for Privacy Professionals
Officials said the network functioned like a corporate structure, where each branch was assigned a monthly target of nearly ₹1 crore. Teams that achieved these targets were rewarded with luxury international and domestic trips to destinations such as Goa, Thailand, and Nepal, where they allegedly engaged in high-end parties, casino gambling, and extravagant spending.
Investigators revealed that one operational unit, identified as Branch-24, was recently sent on a sponsored foreign trip after meeting its target. During the trip, members reportedly opened champagne bottles priced at nearly ₹1 lakh each and spent large sums of money in casinos over the course of several days of celebrations.
The scam operated through an online ecosystem involving Telegram links, social media reels, and targeted advertisements that lured users with promises of quick earnings through gaming and investment schemes. Once users joined, they were redirected to cloned gaming applications that closely resembled legitimate platforms but were fully controlled by the syndicate.
Police said the money collected from victims was routed through multiple bank accounts to conceal its origin and movement. Investigations have also uncovered the extensive use of fake GST-registered firms and mule bank accounts to facilitate the financial operations.
A special team has been sent to Mohali to examine five bank accounts opened under a GST-registered firm suspected of being linked to the racket. Authorities are working with the GST department to verify whether the entity is genuine or a shell company created for laundering illicit funds.
According to officials, the network was highly structured. Top-level operators designed strategies, while lower-level branches handled customer acquisition, fund collection, and transaction processing. A strict target-based monitoring system was enforced at every level through digital platforms.
A senior investigator stated that preliminary data analysis indicates a complex financial network designed to obscure fund flows across multiple layers. “We are analyzing banking transactions and digital footprints. It is a layered structure that is difficult to trace due to multiple routing channels,” the officer said.
Following the exposure, several branches have gone underground, with agents switching off mobile phones to avoid detection. Investigating agencies suspect that the masterminds are operating from abroad and coordinating the entire system using encrypted communication channels.
Experts noted that such online fraud networks are increasingly adopting corporate-style structures, using luxury incentives, foreign trips, and high-profit promises to attract young individuals and maintain loyalty within the system.
Police teams are currently active across multiple states to trace remaining branches and map the complete financial ecosystem behind the racket. Officials expect further arrests and significant financial disclosures in the coming days as the investigation continues to expand across jurisdictions.
